Realtor Realities
Once you’ve decided to put your house on the market you’re ready for the second most important decision – hiring a realtor. It’s critical to pick a winner, because the entire success of your sale hinges on it.
Interview at least 3 candidates before making your decision. Learn about their backgrounds – how long they’ve been in real estate and how many homes they sell in a typical year. Have they sold homes in your neighborhood and price range? What kind of support team do they have? It’s important that the realtor has colleagues who can participate in marketing your home and contacts to key individuals such as appraisers, lenders and real estate attorneys. Try to get a sense for how the realtor works with their firm, if they are affiliated with one. Ask to see samples of their marketing plans and request specific thoughts on how they will market your home. It’s important to avoid individuals or firms that follow the same routine and rely on “good fortune” to sell the home for them (and you). You should ask them what price they want to list at and how they’ve reached that conclusion. Equally important, what creative methods do they have in mind, in the event the home doesn’t sell as quickly as desired. Finally, ask for references. The best way to predict the agent’s performance for you is with their degree of success on other sales.