Tips for Finding the Right Real Estate Listing Agent
Most people are familiar with real estate agents that help buyers find homes, many of whom should be more accurately referred to as “buyer’s” agents. Unlike real estate listing agents‒which are the subjects of this article‒buyer’s agents work with prospective property buyers, helping them find good deals on houses, apartments, or other properties they wish to buy.
In contrast, fewer people are familiar with ‘real estate listing agents’, even though they serve an equally important role. These professionals work with property sellers, helping them price, market, and sell their houses. They are especially useful for owners of high-value properties, who naturally want to get the best possible price for their home.
Real estate listing agents typically handle the financial aspects of property sales. They are primarily responsible for marketing, staging, setting list prices, arranging repairs, and obtaining high-value home insurance. Some even help sellers organize their timelines, identify the objectives for selling the property, and assist sellers in achieving these goals.
As with all real estate arrangements, finding the right real estate listing agent is essential for a successful transaction. Here are some of the more important things to keep in mind if you need help selling your property:
What do listing agents do?
Knowing what a real estate listing agent does will help you figure out the feasibility of a particular professional for your needs. Their roles and functions can vary considerably depending on your arrangement, but in general, most real estate listing agents will do the following:
- Help you set a price for your home
- Take charge of marketing your home
- Handle negotiations with prospective buyers
- Manage property inspection and closing
Pricing a piece of property is essential for ensuring a successful sale. A capable real estate listing agent will consider all the pertinent factors and come up with a price that is amenable to you and will appeal to prospective buyers.
Marketing the home is the next crucial step in the process. Experienced professionals utilize traditional marketing techniques such as creating signage, sending direct mail, hosting open houses, and combining these with modern strategies such as social media marketing.
Negotiating skills are among the main reasons to hire real estate listing agents. The most capable professionals have extensive experience negotiating prices and other contingencies associated with the transaction.
Finally, real estate listing agents will handle all the necessary aspects of closing the sale, including arranging property inspection. If repairs or modifications are required, the agent will arrange for those as well.
Questions to ask potential listing agents
Asking questions is always an effective way to learn more about what real estate listing agents do. More importantly, doing so will help you figure out how a particular professional can help sell your home. If you are fielding real estate listing agents, some questions you might ask are:
Are you a full-time real estate listing agent? Real estate skills and knowledge are often learned on the job. Therefore, someone who works full time is more likely to provide higher quality service.
How long have you been working professionally? Extensive experience in the industry makes a real estate listing agent more likely to have an established network in the local market.
How many properties have you sold within the past year? A good track record is essential for any real estate agent. Ideally, you will want to work with an agent that has racked up many successful sales in your area.
How much do the homes you sell typically cost? Most experienced real estate agents sell homes at different price points. But it is always best to work with someone that has experience selling homes in the same price range as yours.
How do you plan to market my property? You need to know that the real estate listing agent you will be working with has a well-developed and comprehensive marketing plan. This should include traditional methods such as staging properties, taking professional photos, hosting open houses, and also social media marketing.
How long do your listings remain on the market on average? Finally, find out if your real estate listing agent has a history of selling properties within a reasonably short period. You can usually verify their stats local listing services.
As you can see, there are many ways by which a real estate listing agent can make the process of selling a home go smoother and easier. If you find the prospect of listing your property and dealing with prospective buyers a bit daunting, working with a reputable real estate professional could be the best decision you will ever make.
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