Love Selling Your Home Series – Week 1
This is the first article in the series called Love Selling Your Home: Minimize Your Stress, Maximize Your Profit, a step-by-step guide to what you need to know to sell your home in today’s market. This series will take you through the entire home-selling process — from finding a real estate agent to settlement day. Look for a new, informative article each week, right here!
The absolute first step to selling your home is finding the right real estate agent for you. And, although I would love to help you sell your home, I may not be the best agent for you, and I’ll be the first to tell you if I’m not! It won’t do either of us any good for me to sell a home I can’t sell well.
I would love the opportunity to discuss with you how I can help you maximize the value of your home and alleviate some of the stress associated with the process. And, if during that conversation I’m not the best person to help you get the very best for your home, I’ll let you know and even suggest the best agent I know.
But, this isn’t one of those, “Here’s how to find the very best agent for you…oh it’s me” type of article. No matter who you choose to help you sell your home, here’s what you need to consider when looking for the very best agent to help you make the most of your biggest financial asset:
Talk to friends, family, and co-workers. They’ll give you honest, unfiltered feedback on what they went through and if they’d go with the same agent again (a key sign!). Check out any agent’s website to see if they are active and passionate about working with sellers. Remember, you don’t have to go with the first agent you meet. However, you’ll need to negotiate a Listing Contract once you start working with one. Usually, a listing contract is three to six months long, but it may be longer in a slower market or for a higher-end home.
Does this agent specialize in the type of home you’re selling and your specific neighborhood?
Even a great agent for your friend may not be the right fit for you due to your different criteria. Narrow down your search to real estate agents who specialize in selling similar homes and are familiar with your neighborhood. They will know how to market your home effectively to attract buyers who want to live in that type of home and are drawn to that location. This agent will also have a better understanding of pricing and will work with you to determine a competitive listing price, so you’re off to a great start from the outset.
Collaborates with other agents to give your home the inside edge. Your agent should be able to easily notify buyers’ agents that your home is on the market before it is listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Someone who regularly interacts with agents in your area and holds well-attended broker previews can help draw attention to your home. You need these buyers’ agents to know about your home upfront so they can bring in the right buyers for your home.
Takes the time to listen to you and discover what your goals are for selling your home. A good agent has the skills to ask you questions that can help them implement the best marketing strategy for your specific home. Questions such as: “Do you have to sell quickly because of a job location?”; “Do you want the highest price possible to move up to your next home?”; and “What is the unique story about your home that we can tell to buyers?” These questions can set the gears in motion to reach the right target market for your home. This process can take time, but it’s an important step. Your agent will then know the parameters they are working with and will be aware of your deal-breakers when negotiating with buyers.
Provides a specific strategy for selling your home to the right target market. Your agent should provide you with a comprehensive overview of how they will market your home, from start to finish. How will they attract buyers who really mean business and are serious about buying a home? They shouldn’t just focus on foot traffic to your home (we’ve all been to open houses because we’re just curious!). Find out how they are reaching buyers online or through social media. Do they think an open house is productive for your home, and why?
Gives honest feedback on how to make your home shine for buyers. A good agent will walk carefully through your home and provide guidance on whether updating, some freshening up, and/or staging is needed to make your home look its best. And, better yet, will then help you get it done with their network of professionals! They can also help determine if this upfront cost will help sell your home more quickly and for more money, so that you can get a return on your investment.
Communicates clearly and regularly. Make sure your agent is easily reached via cell phone, text, or email, and gets back to you promptly. On the other hand, the agent keeps in touch with you on a regular basis, providing updates on your home and following up on any potential buyers. What are buyers saying about your home after they see it – is it positive or negative? A good agent will use this feedback to market your home or help address any necessary improvements. Nothing is more frustrating than not being informed and feeling forgotten! So, find an agent who promises to communicate with you regularly and will guide you step-by-step to closing day.
Negotiates well and has your back at all times. Selling a home is a business transaction, and your agent should also have negotiation skills that benefit you and your home. A good agent knows when to be assertive to get the deal done, but doesn’t play dirty and turn buyers away. Find out more about your agent’s past experiences and tactics at the negotiating table, especially when dealing with multiple offers. Find out the number of sales they have handled over the past year and the closeness of the listing price to the final accepted offer.
Makes you comfortable. Your gut will tell you if this is someone you trust and can work with regularly. Opening up your home to others can be a very personal and challenging experience for homeowners, and you want to have an understanding agent. You want to feel at ease when asking any questions or expressing your concerns. Selling a home can be stressful and exhausting at times. Go with someone who can reduce such tension and has a sense of humor, and you’ll appreciate these traits throughout the process.
Looks at real estate as a financial tool that can empower your life. This will be one of the biggest transactions of your life, and you don’t want to make any mistakes. Your agent should appreciate how real estate can transform your life for the better and recognize the potential it holds for your financial stability and security. A good agent knows that selling this home can be a stepping stone to your next home and beyond. They want you to dream big, but will keep it real when necessary!
Never says goodbye. No matter what, your agent shouldn’t view this one transaction as the end of your relationship but just the beginning — expect them to be there for you over the long term and ready to work with you when it’s time to sell and move on again. Plus, they should be someone you can trust to turn to with any of your homeownership concerns – a real estate resource for life!
If you or anyone you know has been thinking about selling their home, I’d love the opportunity to see how I can help you get the very most money for it as possible and remove as much stress and expense as possible.
