Selecting Your Realtor®

Once you’ve decided to sell your home, it’s time to begin the search for your Realtor®.  Spend as much time as you need to find the ideal person that is knowledgeable and that you feel comfortable working with. This is an important decision, so don’t be tempted to rush through the process.

A good place to start is by driving around your neighbourhood and finding real estate agent’s names on “For Sale” signs. Take those collected names and go online and do a bit of research. Look at those Realtors® listings to see if there are properties similar to yours in price and locale being marketed. You prospective agent should have an informative, easy to use website. Many prospective buyers head right to the computer to do their house-hunting. Check out local magazines and newspapers to see which agents also use print media to advertize.

Pick several of the agents and sit down with each one, asking questions about how they would approach selling your home. What type of promotions do they use, how much time do they commit to a sale and how many open houses are normally set up are all valid questions. Ask about current listings and how the sales are going. Does the realtor already have so many listings that maybe he is stretched too thin? Does the realtor specialize in a certain type of property, perhaps the high-end market? If your home is not in that niche, will that realtor devote enough time to a less expensive sale?

Ask each agent for an estimate on what they would list your home for based on the average selling prices and sales prices on similar homes in your neighborhood. They should provide this even if you don’t hire them on the spot.

The Realtor® should be asking you a number of questions as well.  Some of the more important ones include why you are selling the home, and how soon you want to sell. Questions about your financial situation are also pertinent. The agent should explain the selling process thoroughly, take a first-hand look at your home and give you some hints on improving your home’s appearance and salability.

Sometimes when you meet someone you know right away that you will work well together. This often happens when a Realtor® meets a client for the first time. Take the time to find someone that has all the right answers, is personable, likeable and is easy to work with. It will make selling your home a more pleasant, and perhaps even more profitable, experience.