Selling your home
Since the commission for the sale of a house is almost always paid for by the seller, buyers are able to get assistance and information from Real Estate Agents, usually at no cost to them. It is for this reason that the vast majority of home buyers employ the services of an Agent for their purchase. In addition, since most houses are listed by Real Estate Agencies, it gives them the maximum number of available properties to consider.
The relationship between a home buyer and a their Agent is a little like a marriage: it must be based on trust, mutual goals (to get you the house that best suits your needs!) and understanding. To a large degree, the home buyer entrusts the Agent to always keep their (the buyer's) interest first and foremost. It is important that you understand who the Agent with whom you are working represents.
What to look for in an Agent
An understanding of your needs.
A
a willingness to work with you until your needs are fulfilled.
A sense of professionalism.
Someone who is dedicated to their profession.
A familiarity with the area in which you have an interest.
A familiarity with the price range in which you have an interest.
Professional designation: for example, GRI-Graduate of the REALTORS®
Institute, or CRS Certified Residential Specialist.
Strong references from previous buyers.
Questions to ask a prospective Agent
How long have you been in Real Estate?
Are you a full time agent?
Are you familiar with the area in which we want to look?
How many home sales did you participate in last year?
Where do you feel your strengths lie:
What 3 buyers that you have worked with can you give me as references?
SELLING A HOME
The majority of home sellers take on the task with an ally: a Real Estate Agent. They feel that it is better to entrust the sale of their biggest investment to a professional, rather than attempting to learn about selling a house in a trial and error method. In addition, many people would rather use an Agent due to the complexities of modern Real Estate transactions since they usually incorporate legal and financial attributes, which takes them well beyond more simple transactions, such as the sale of an automobile.Some of the other advantages of working with Agents that home sellers will list include: access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) so that large numbers of buyers will have access to the seller's property, the fact that the Agent absorbs all of the cost of advertising and marketing, and the screening that will be done of potential buyers by Agents. In addition, the Agent handles the lion's share of the details of negotiation.
Deciding whether to use an Agent or not has a great deal to do with what you feel the level of your capabilities are. If you feel fully confident that you can handle all of the details, then you may well want to attempt selling your house on your own. If not, you most likely will want to use an Agent and leave the details to them.
So how do you choose an Agent who will be effective? What is important to know about an Agent to determine whether you feel they will do a good job? The following questions should be asked of any prospective Real Estate Agent in order to assess their capabilities and philosophies.
Where to find an Agent
Ask family, friends and co-workers about Agents they have used--for selling a home, not buying--to get positive (and negative) input.
Check your local newspapers and homes magazines. An Agent with a number of advertisements most likely has a fairly extensive maketing budget and experience. Be certain, though, that the Agent does not have too many listings to service the sale of your home effectively