What to look for in an agent.
NOVEMBER 2009
Choosing the right agent to support and facilitate your property transactions makes all the difference to your success. Here are a few pointers:
- Find out if the company has a long history in real estate, which demonstrates they’ve proven the test of time.
- Ask questions of prospective agents, like their clearance rates, whether your home best suits auction or private sale, how they might market your home, etc. This provides a comparative base not only of their knowledge and strategies, but also their personality and integrity.
- Note which agents have a high local profile by observing sale boards, local and daily newspapers, and company websites. Companies with high brand recognition also have strong marketing resources for selling your home faster and more successfully.
- Don’t necessarily choose the agent who gives you the highest expected (possibly inflated) selling price. While a good agent will use excellent negotiating skills to attain the best result, prices are also generally couched within what the market will tolerate at the time.
- Similarly, don’t choose an agent based solely on lower than average fees. This might result in lower than average service, which might add time, stress and expense over the long term.
- Select an agent that can provide a complete set of services, including finance provision, for a one-stop-shop for handling your transaction easily and efficiently.
- After, and only after, you’ve done your homework, weigh up the facts – and trust your intuition.