Three Very Costly Mistakes That Sellers Make When Choosing a Listing Agent

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We’ve all heard the expression “time is money” right? So why, then, is time not something that most sellers think about when hiring an agent to list their property? Just imagine, hiring the wrong agent can end up in months of frustration with lack of communication, lack of preparedness and worse, a lackluster attitude toward what is probably the most important financial transaction of your life.

To help make sure you don’t make the same mistakes that countless other sellers have made, here are three important things to consider before you sign the dotted line of a listing agreement.

Shop Carefully and Consider Your Options

This question is often asked, especially by homeowners who consider selling their homes by themselves.

The fundamental first answer to this question is that an experienced realtor is an expert at what he or she does. Through hard work and education, they’ve acquired a set of skills that make the process of home buying and selling a lot easier than it would be by doing it yourself.

Choose an Agent or Broker That is Current

What do we mean by “current”? It’s simple. Just like technology continues to evolve in all other areas of life, we have to assume that the person representing them is also current with technology. A very surprising large number of agents neglect to realize the importance of delivering on real-time needs of buyers using up-to-date tools. Rather than make the mistake of hiring an agent that is relying strictly on Open Houses (studies show less than 2% of sales are generating from Open Houses), contact someone that is using relevant technology.

Video is the single most innovative and also underutilized technology in real estate. Your agent should be using video tours as a matter of routine and unless they do so, you are working with a broker that has not yet kept up with the times. Buyers are out there using their smartphones to do home searches, utilizing their GPS systems to search neighborhood properties and expecting real time responses to information requests. That’s why it is critical to know that unless your broker is up to speed in today’s technology, they can’t keep up with the needs of today’s buyers. As a test, look up any agent in Google. Do they pop up as the first or second item on the search results page? If not, they are not positioned to be at the forefront of today’s technologically advanced real estate industry.

Look for Recognition Among Community and Peers

There is something to be said about agents and brokers that are revered not only by members of the community but also by their peers. In the many dealings that are necessary for a smooth transaction, it is critical that agents on both sides of the transaction are able to communicate effectively. When you have an agent that is difficult to get along with, does not mesh well within the community or their colleagues, you stand to face risks that directly impact the sale of your property.

Hire a broker with a name that is respected in the marketplace by both consumers and other real estate agents. When interviewing your prospective agents, be sure to ask about their dealings with others in the industry.
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These are just a few of the things you can do to make sure you are in good hands when it comes to selling your home. But beyond that, it’s important to be able to look your agent in the eye and feel that you are valued – cherished and most of all heard. To give us an opportunity to listen to your needs, please contact us today. We look forward to the chance to share with you why we are the right brokerage to hire for your real estate needs!