Five Factors in Selecting a Listing Agent

Five Factors in Selecting a Listing Agent

There are five factors in selecting a listing agent you should consider when selecting a Realtor to sell your home. For most of us, our home is the largest, most expensive asset we own. Often it is one of our most sentimental assets as well. So when the time comes to sell our home, we often make an emotional decision and not necessarily a sound business decision. Add in that we all know at least 10 real estate agents, half of them we are related to.

Factor #1 – Determine Your Goals, Objectives, and Timing

You will want your realtor to know why you are selling your home.

What are your goals and objectives?
Do you have a growing family and need a larger home?
Do you want to be closer to where you work?
Maybe, you are looking to downsize?
Where do you want to go once you sell your home? Your Realtor can help you find your new home as well.

These are all things you should take into consideration.

Selecting the date to list your home for sale is also important. For example, are you hoping to have your move completed before a new school year? Remember, real estate transactions take time.

These are questions only you can answer, but once you do, a good Realtor can work with you to create a plan that meets your goals, objectives, and timing.

Factor #2 – The Real Estate Brokerage

Not all real estate brokerages are created equal. There are many types of brokerages, and there can be vast differences in the products, services, and support they offer to their agents and their clients.

When you sign a listing agreement, it is not an agreement between you and your agent; it is between you and the real estate broker.

At Coldwell Banker Realty, we have a large team of people behind the scenes making sure the sale of your home is always moving forward. Our Team includes managers who are there to advise individual realtors, marketing professionals working to ensure the listing of your home is seen by every potential buyer, and transaction coordinators ensuring a smooth transaction once your home is under contract.

We also have programs like RealVitalize that will provide you with an interest-free loan (paid at the time of closing) to make needed repairs and upgrades to your home to ensure you get the highest price possible.

For more information, terms, and conditions on Coldwell Banker’s RealVitalize program, go to Realvitalize.com.

Factor #3 – The Realtor

There are several factors in selecting the right Realtor for you. Let’s start by looking at the characteristics you will want in a good listing agent.

Experience – You want a Realtor who has sold homes in your area, knows the local landscape and has experience with various issues that tend to come up when selling a home.
Integrity – Honesty and trust matter. You want someone can trust that has your best interest and not their own. A good Realtor will tell you the truth, even when it is not what you want to hear.
Effective Communication Skills – Someone who will listen to you and understand your goals and needs, as well as be able to keep you informed and up to date with the progress of the sale of your home.
Strong Network – Realtors are in the business of people. Knowing people and making strong connections. Does your Realtor have those connections? Do they have strong ties to the community they are working in?
Attention to Details – It is all in the details. Once your home is under contract, that is when the work begins. Inspections, appraisals, financing contingencies, and title work. Each of these items has deadlines and associated paperwork. These are all things your realtor will need to keep up with and be there with you to ensure they are all completed on time.

Factor #4– Listing Price

In every real estate transaction, the price is a factor. There are many aspects of evaluating the listing price of a home.

Location – Location is always a factor. Prices can vary dramatically from one neighborhood, city, or county to the next.
Condition – What condition is the home in? Has it been renovated? How old is the roof? How is the landscaping? All of these and more can affect the price of your home. Don’t forget to check out Coldwell Banker Realty’s RealVitalize program.
Comparable Sales – How much have similar homes in your area sold for?
Market Conditions – Is the market hot, or is it cool? What are the current interest rates?
Seller Motivation – Seller motivation is an important factor. Why are you selling? Are you trying to meet a specific timeline? There may be a variety of reasons why you would want a quick sale, all of which may affect the price.

Factor #5 – Marketing

Every marketing plan starts with a plan. Does your realtor have a plan? Many Realtors simply put your property on the Multiple Listing System known as the MLS and let other realtors sell your property.

Any residential real estate marketing plan should, at the minimum, have the following:

Professional Photography
Single-Property Website
Property Tour
Print Advertising
Just Listed Flyers

This is the bare minimum any agent you consider should have in their marketing plan for your home. But you deserve more than just the bare minimum. Especially if you want to get top value.

As a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty, I have many powerful tools available to me to market your home, one of them being Listing Concierge. Listing Concierge is a bundle of marketing products supported by a team of professionals to help me sell your home. Here are just some of the tools I will deploy to sell your home at the highest price:

Professional Photography
Single Property Website
Printed Property Brochure
Just Listed Postcards
Video Property Tour
Just Listed Flyer
Listing in the View Magazine
TV and Online Promotion
Area Realtor Notification
Targeted Online Digital Advertising
Your listing will be displayed on the real estate industry’s most viewed websites, including Zillow, Realtor.com, Trulia, and many others.

In addition, your property will be listed on the MLS, and I personally send out Just Listed Notifications via email to over 4000 contacts in my personal network.

To wrap this up, when selecting a Realtor, do your homework. Don’t be pressured into using a friend or family member without vetting them just as you would any other realtor. If you are considering selling your home, have a real estate question, or even just want to know how much your home is worth, please feel free to call or text me anytime at 772-260-9458.

Five Factors in Selecting a Listing Agent was written by Troy McDonald who is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty in Stuart, Florida. He is also an Elected City Commissioner and Mayor of Stuart, Florida.

Troy McDonald’s Bio (findyour-floridahome.com)

Troy McDonald