8 Tips to Hiring a Good Realtor to Sell Your Home

Are you thinking about selling your home? The sale of your home may be one of your largest transactions. Make sure you don’t leave it in the hands of an amateur. Here are 8 tips to picking a good Realtor.

1. Business decision

This is a buyers market and it is not easy to be a seller. A professional Realtor can make the sales process much easier than someone who just got their license or who does not work full time. This is a big transaction so make a smart choice, not an emotional one.

2. Ask for a referral

You probably have a friend or relative that can recommend a good Realtor. Ask around for names. Chances are you can find the name of someone good to use or even someone not to use.

3. Interview More Than One Agent

Most Realtor’s hate this advice. Listen to a listing presentation from 3 agents before you make a decision. Be careful to not list a home based on the anticipated sales price that the agent gives you. Remember, the market determines the value of your home. Not you or the Realtor you hire.

4. Is the biggest producer the best?

Don’t assume that the highest producer is the best Realtor or gives the best service. Would you rather work with a good Realtor who has forty listings or a good Realtor that has ten? You probably will end up with better service with the Realtor that spread between only 10 listings. That is not always the case but this is what you can uncover when you interview them. The larger producer may sell ten homes between $2 million and $3 million a year. If your home is worth $300,000 would you rather use that Realtor or one who sells twenty homes a year priced between $300,000 and $400,000?

5. If you pay peanuts you work with monkeys

I am just as frugal as the next guy. However, often times you get what you pay for. The market dictates what Realtors charge for services. It is a negotiable item and there are discount brokerages out there.

Have you ever noticed how many discount real estate brokers start up and fail? There is a reason for that. The business model generally does not work. There are a lot of expenses in real estate that the general public never sees.

6. Don’t let the Realtor buy your listing

It is common for a home seller to list with the Realtor that gives them highest asking price. Don’t do this. Have your Realtor defend any price they come up with. Have them show you comparable sales and be objective.

7. Interview a Realtor that works your area

If possible, make sure to speak to a Realtor that farms your neighborhood. Many agents only work a small niche and do it well. It is good to have a specialist on your side. Do you want to get a face lift from a plastic surgeon or from a podiatrist? This example may be a bit extreme. The process of valuing and selling real estate is essentially the same in all segments of market with slight variations. You don’t have to hire a specialist or niche Realtor.

8. Second guess

Be cautious of Realtors who tell you everything you want to hear. I would rather be told the truth versus what I wanted to hear only to find out the truth later. Some Realtors are total “yes” people and lead you believe what you want to believe just to get your listing.

Hopefully, you will find these eight tips helpful. Time is money in real estate. Generally, the longer it takes to sell your home the less you will put in your pocket. A good Realtor can get your home sold quickly and headache free.

Marc Rasmussen, Realtor selling Sarasota FL real estate as well as Longboat Key Condos.