Spring and summer can be the busiest time of the year for real estate agents. As the school year is coming to an end, a lot of homeowners decide to make their move to sell their home. Selling your home is one of the biggest transactions you’ll ever make and one you shouldn’t do on your own without the help of a real estate professional. Don’t be the homeowner that makes any of the following mistakes:
- Choosing an agent who doesn’t know or who isn’t the expert in your community. It’s important to choose an agent who is familiar with and active in your community. An agent who is active is constantly promoting your property to neighbors and visitors. An agent who believes in the community is the best agent to sell your home.
- Choosing a friend or family member. This is not always a wise choice and can make the situation awkward if you’re not happy with them. This can lead to long term friction which could have been prevented.
- The number of years’ experience isn’t the most important. Honestly, that large number of how many homes they sold in the past 25 years sounds impressive but more importantly is their success rate. An agent who listed 100 homes last year but only sold 25, has a success rate of 25%. An agent who listed 15 homes and sold all 15 has a success rate of 100%. The success rate is important.
- Flat Fee Service Companies. The fact is, you get what you pay for. This is not the correct approach when you’re dealing with such a large transaction. Chances are you think you are saving money but in reality, you are probably not getting the most money for your property. Pennywise and pound foolish come to mind.
- Choosing the agent who gives you the highest listing price. It all sounds good at the time, but when your house is still on the market in six months, are you really accomplishing your goal of selling your home? Go with the facts given to you on what sold in your neighborhood, they don’t lie. Knowing upfront what a realistic price is for your property will avoid disappointment at closing.
- Choosing an agent who cares about one thing…..commission. The agent gives the best presentation but deep down you know they only care about their commission. That agent doesn’t care about getting you the most money for your home. The best agent is the one that listens and cares about your goals.
Selling your home can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Don’t make the mistake of choosing an agent who isn’t an expert in your community, who is a friend, who has the most number of years in the business, who gives you the cheapest commission, who gives you the highest list price or the agent who only cares about one thing—making a commission. Making the right choice of who should sell your home will make your selling experience pleasant and profitable rather than a nightmare.