Selling your home can be a harrowing experience, however there are a few things that you can do to make sure that you can put your faith in your agent, and let them take the stress out of selling your home. Here are the top 5 opportunities that you have to make sure that you have chosen an agent that you can trust who will get the job done properly! By checking off each of the items on this list you can feel secure knowing that the agent that you are working with has sold many homes, uses the latest technology, puts time and effort into online marketing, knows how to market your home, and most importantly has a history of happy clients!
#1 Online Presence
One of the most important thing in real estate, and business in general right now, is that there is an online presence. Potential buyers are probably not going to pick up a newspaper to search homes for sale in your area. Those times are long past, and in today's busy marketplace it is vital that your agent is on the internet in full force. You need to know that the agent that is listing your home will be able to reach potential buyers, and to do that they will need to come up on a Google search. If you think you have found a good agent, go to your computer, phone, iPad, etc and open up Google. Search your area's real estate or the agents name and take a look at what comes up. If the agent you are thinking about working with isn't on the front page then you have not found an agent with a strong online presence and it may be time to rethink your choice.
#2 List Of Sold Homes
It is important that you know that the agent you are working with will be able to market your home, negotiate on your behalf, and bring you to the closing table with the best possible deal. The best way to find this out is to ask your agent for a list of all of the properties they have sold in the past year, so you can see the proof that they have in fact closed multiple deals and sold multiple homes. If the list your agent gives you has one or two items on it, you may want to question why others were unwilling to list their home with this agent, or why they were unable to sell the homes that they did list. Possibly the agent is very nice and great with people, but is unable to market your home. It is important that you choose the best listing agent to market and sell your home. This is possibly the most important sale of your life, make sure that it is done right!
#3 Client Reviews
No one tells the truth better than a client who has worked with the agent before, and chances are they have an opinion about that agent. Go to Google and Yelp and take a look at what your agent's past clients had to say about them. It is crucial to a successful transaction that you trust the information that your agent is providing to you, and that you know that they are always working in your best interest. If you find bad reviews on Google and Yelp about your agent, then you may want to think about getting an agent who has a plethora of clients who are willing and ready to vouch for them. This will help put your mind at ease throughout your transaction because you will know that your agent is on your side and has it covered!
#4 Location Location Location
Find out where your agent lives! It may seem like it is silly and unimportant but each area has its own unique market, and the agents who live in that area know the market the best. They know the local comps and how price is determined in that area, as well as what natural conditions may affect the price of your home. If your agent doesn't live where you are listing your home then you are doing yourself a disservice by choosing an agent that will have a difficult time pricing and marketing your home. By finding a local real estate agent that knows the area, you are increasing your chance of that agent being able to successfully market and sell your home to potential buyers!
#5 Videos
The last thing to check for is if your agent is using video. Buyers have gone digital, and if your agent is not using video, then they are not utilizing the latest technology. You need an agent who is up to date with the latest technology so you know that they are properly marketing your home. Look your agent up on YouTube and check out their social media pages such as Facebook, Google+, and Twitter and see if they have videos posted. Then take a few minutes and watch those videos to make sure that they are not dull and uninviting! If you are going to list your home with this agent, not only will they need to use video in order to properly market your home, but they will also need to be upbeat and exciting so that the message is well received and interesting to potential buyers.
If you are looking for a top producing listing agent that can provide you with a list of recently sold homes, has great reviews, is local, has a strong online presence, and uses video to effectively market homes for sale, then call David R. Millar (BRE#01354778) at 707-217-1786 now! If this blog has been inspirational for you, share it on social media by clicking the icons at the top of the page!
