What should sellers ask their real estate agent?

When you are thinking about putting your home on the market, you have a lot of work and a potentially months-long journey ahead of you. That process should begin with finding the right real estate agent to help you present your property in the best possible light, maximise your return on investment and otherwise help you through the sale.

The issue for many would-be sellers, especially if they’re listing their homes for the first time, is that they might not know how to differentiate top agents from those who might not go above and beyond for them. Ask the following questions, and you’ll be far more likely to find the right agent for you:

“How much experience do you have in the industry?”

It’s not necessarily that new agents won’t do a good job for you, but agents who have been through hundreds of sales over a decades-long career bring a certain amount of expertise to the table. With that being said, Opendoor recommended that you go a little deeper: There may be some professionals who have been licenced for years but haven’t actively worked as a seller’s agent during that time. Just getting a sense of how long they’ve worked, how they’ve helped their clients and so on will be a good jumping-off point.

“Do you have other clients right now?”

Many agents will be juggling at least a few selling clients at any given time, and often they might not even want to meet with you if their plates are close to full. However, it’s important to determine how much time the agent will be able to devote to your specific sale.

“What do you think the home will sell for?”

While the price at which your home sells is hardly guaranteed, experienced agents will have a good idea of its value based on previous sales they’ve worked on, market data and so on. SoldNest noted that this will be crucial for calculating the listing price. That, in turn, is going to prove pivotal as it relates to marketing efforts.

“What’s the marketing plan?”

Speaking of which, you should have a clear idea of how and where your agent will list your home’s availability, as well as whether it will be staged and any work you might need to do before taking photos and videos, or welcoming prospective buyers to an open house. Here, too, their experience will help them determine the best possible path forward, and if you talk to more than one agent, you may be able to find a strategy you think will work well.

“What will you charge?”

Finally, you should certainly understand your agent’s fee structure before you agree to work with them, according to Nolo. In general, you should expect to pay them about 2-3% of the final sales price, but everyone’s commission rates will be at least a little different depending on a number of factors. The important thing here is to simply be prepared for this financial eventuality.

With all of the above in mind, Ray White Surfers Paradise should be your first stop when you’re thinking of selling your home. Our experienced agents will be able to answer all of the above questions — and more — with poise and confidence built up over years working in the industry. That, in turn, can help give you peace of mind that you’re working with someone who will put your interests first and ensure you get the most out of the sale. Get in touch with us today to learn more about what we can do for you.