In my last blog, I discussed the many ways in which a real estate agent can help facilitate the purchase of a new home. But a real estate agent is an equally valuable asset when you put your home on the market. You can expect your agent to provide key services toward making a sale.
The agent helping you sell your home should have your interests as a top priority. This means that you can expect a degree of confidentiality and the utmost in professionalism from your agent. As with buying a house, communication is key, and you can expect your agent to respond to your questions and concerns in a timely manner.
Beginning with listing your home, your agent can be relied upon to help establish the correct pricing of your home when it goes on the market. Using comparative market analyses, familiarity with sales in your neighborhood or town, and drawing from a wealth of expertise in the industry, your agent is your best guide in determining a "just-right" price that will be most likely to result in a sale.
Once you've determined your asking price, you and your agent can get to work staging your home for sale. A seasoned agent will know what sells a home, from curb appeal to décor to setting up rooms to win over buyers.
Your agent is also the best resource you have for creatively and actively marketing your house. With access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) database as well as avenues for marketing via word of mouth, signage, print outlets, and the Internet, your agent cannot only list your home, but also direct your advertising by spreading the word about your sale quickly via multiple outlets. Your agent may also host open houses to spark interest in the property.
Additionally, your agent will have connections in the business that he or she can put to work when trying to sell your home. By relying on a network of other agents and professional ties, your agent can spark interest in your home on a level that you couldn't hope to duplicate without assistance.
Once an offer comes in, your agent can assist in negotiating the sale. He or she will know whether the price being offered by an interested buyer is reasonable and fair. Rely on his advice about whether you are being low balled or the opportunity is the best you can expect. If there are problems that an inspection reveals, your agent can help you determine how to best resolve them.
With the aid of a professional real estate agent, the process of selling a house becomes far less daunting. With your agent as a guide, you're sure to find the right buyer for your home.
