Yep, it’s that time of year again. That time when you and/or your friends or family are talking about whether to put the house on the market. If the answer is yes, then here are some helpful hints that even REALTORs consider to be most important to selecting the right agent for the job.
(1) KNOWS THE LOCAL MARKET. Just because Aunt Suzie has her license to list real estate and is going to make you a great deal on the commission doesn’t mean that she can get the job done. Be sure to use a search engine to find the agent that has a strong presence in your local area. If your goal is to “sell” the home and not just “list” the home then choose your agent wisely.
(2) BEAUTY CONTEST. I tell my clients all the time that they should prepare their homes prior to a showing as if a photographer from STL Homes is coming over to photograph the home. Yes, it’s that important. There are tons of homes on the market these days and if you want your home to sell for the most money and in the least amount of time then it’s important to make it look great.
(3) PRICE WAR. In a buyer’s market it’s important to list your home for the right price to attract (a) showings from potential buyers, and (b) reasonable offers. Statistics show that the more over priced a home is then the more low ball the offers that are received. I can speak from a lot of experience from both a listing broker and as an agent that writes contracts for purchasers nearly daily that this dynamic is true. Crazy, but true.
(4) BE OPEN MINDED TO ALL OFFERS. In the past few years it has become more and more common that low offers are the norm. However, it is just as common that if someone really wants the house then they’re eventually going to come up to a more reasonable purchase price during the negotiation process. Rely on your agent to guide you through this process.
