Tips on choosing an Agent

After you have decided that selling is the best course of action, and you’ve contacted a few agents to come and appraise your home, it’s time to choose which agent will manage the sale. This is one of the most important steps towards a successful sale.

Good real estate agents do all of the hard work for you when selling your home, and are a critical part of the selling process. They list your property, take care of all the marketing and advertising required to get your property seen, take through and screen all buyers, negotiate the sale and take care of all legal aspects of selling a home — all of which are crucial to the success of your sale.

Real estate agents offer unique insights and experience when it comes to listing and selling a home. Most importantly, agents are there to help relieve some of the stresses that can accompany selling — helping you to focus on what matters most. And because it’s such an important job, you want it done by the right person who will do it properly.

When you’re deciding on which agent to list your property with, keep in mind that the task at hand is incredibly important—you want an agent that you trust, who is professional and adaptable — you’re selling one of your biggest assets, and your expectations should be demanding.

To make it simple, here’s what you should look for in an agent:

1. Ability to meet your requirements,
2. Clear interest in meeting your needs,
3. Positive references from past clients,
4. Knowledge of the area in which you’re selling your property,
5. Knowledge of the price bracket you’re likely to sell in,
6. Commitment to realistic about the market and your situation,
7. When is the ‘right time’ to sell?

Often, the reason people decide to sell their home is because of lifestyle changes. Whether you’re relocating, downsizing, or have a growing family, deciding when to sell can be particularly daunting—especially if you’re a first-time seller.

Whatever the reason behind your decision to sell, it may not coincide with the perfect market conditions. It’s for this reason that it’s important to know the state of the current market and the economy, as the real estate market is generally a reflection of the state of the broader economy.

It’s also important to consider your own personal objectives, such as your ability to finance a new home, meet ongoing repayments, and capital gains tax if you’re selling an investment property.

If you’re buying and selling in the same market however, it’s important to remember that even if you sell for less than you’d initially hoped, you’ll probably buy for less. The same can be said for when prices are high; you might make more on your home when you sell, but you’ll probably pay more when you buy again.

Something else that can affect the sale of your home is the season, and how it’s presented. You don’t want your home to feel cluttered and stuffy during summer inspections. Similarly, you want people to feel cosy and comfortable during winter inspections. It’s important to prepare the property for the sale; tidy up the gardens for curb-side appeal and to ‘make an entrance’, declutter the cupboards to make them feel spacious, store away items in the living areas that are personal (family photos, shopping lists on the fridge, etc.) so buyers can imagine it as their home, and not feel like they’re invading someone else’s, and lastly, present the property in conjunction with the current season.

So, when deciding ‘when’ to sell, consider:

1. The condition of the current market,
2. The economy,
3. Your motivations as a seller,
4. The season you’ll be selling in,
5. It might be worth your while to wait a few months to sell your home, or it might be best to sell now.

A great way to determine the state of the current real estate market is to do some research; browse the internet for homes similar to yours in the same suburb and surrounding areas. It won’t be an exact way to determine what your home is worth, but it can help you to know what to expect to hear from a Real Estate Agent, and to know what else buyers will be seeing when they search for homes similar to yours.