Hire a REALTOR®
Selling your home is a big decision and one that requires a knowledgeable, experienced REALTOR®.
Choosing the right agent is a very personal decision. Obviously, you want someone knowledgeable and experienced, someone who has the utmost integrity, someone who will be your advocate, and negotiate like a tiger on your behalf. It is equally important to choose someone you like and respect. After all, you will be working very closely with them, and having a rapport (or not) can make that experience pleasant (or painful).
Studies show that 90% of consumers are more likely to trust recommendations from someone they know. The best place to begin is by asking two to three people you know if they’ve worked with a REALTOR® that they would highly recommend. Hopefully, you will add The Dawn Thomas Team to your short list and allow us the opportunity to tell you more about how we work and what we have to offer. Backed by Compass, Dawn and The Team have access to the best possible global resources to help sell your home.
Once you have a list of recommended agents, do a bit of research online. Read their client reviews. Get a feel for how they work and what other clients have said about them. Give each REALTOR® a call or send them an email requesting a brief phone conversation. Take note of how quickly they respond: is it minutes, hours, or maybe days? This information alone can assist in narrowing your list. After all, if they don’t respond quickly to a potential seller, how might they respond to potential buyers for your home?
Before setting an in-person meeting, have a brief phone call. Find out more about each agent’s experience. Determine who appears to be well informed about your neighborhood. These calls will give you insight into which agents could be a good fit for you. Ask the REALTORS® you like best to meet in person and prepare a comparable market analysis (known as a CMA) for your home. To create an accurate CMA, the agent will need specifics about your house and mortgage.
When you sit down with an agent one on one, now is the time to ask more detailed questions. Here are 12 questions you must ask when choosing a REALTOR®. It also helps to be aware of the Code of Ethics to which all REALTORS® must adhere.
Key questions to ask each agent include:
- The agent’s determination of the value of your home
- Number of days on market before you’d be in contract
- The amount you will walk away with if your home sells for the price they suggest
- Their professional fees
- What services they cover, if any (staging, photography, marketing, etc.)
Be upfront and honest with each REALTOR® about any unique situations, timeframes, or issues with your home. For your agent, this information is critical in order to formulate a complete selling strategy. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing these details with an agent or if they pressure you to sign a listing agreement, this is an indication they are not the right person for you. The real estate agent you choose should make you feel at ease and minimize the stress of selling your home.
When you’ve chosen a REALTOR®, you will be asked to sign a listing agreement. This is a contract between a real estate agent and a property owner. It permits the agent to begin working on your behalf to sell your home.
A few important items in a listing agreement include:
- Start date of the contract
- Termination date of the contract
- List price
- Agent’s compensation, either a flat fee or percentage of the sale price
