Boston Real Estate Agents
Let’s face it, selling a house can be confusing and intimidating, especially if it’s your first time through the process. There are so many things to think about; price, how to stage your house, what improvements to make to impress would be buyers, etc. If the time has come to sell your home and you’re thinking of saving some money by cutting corners and doing things yourself, perhaps you should rethink this. Hiring a Boston real estate agent may actually save you money and also time as well.
Reasons To Hire A Real Estate Agent
It may seem to be a waste of money to hire a real estate agent when you’re getting ready to sell your home. Especially in today’s market, when profit margins may be very slim, if there are any profits to be had at all, homeowners may be tempted to list a property themselves to save on realtor fees. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why this could be a costly mistake.
Any professional real estate agent has been through training and certification to ensure that he or she is familiar with every aspect of the home selling process. They can make expert recommendations regarding exactly which areas to improve that will make the most impact with buyers, and also know what similar homes in your area of town are selling for. This knowledge will help you price your home fairly for a smooth selling process.
Professional realtors also have many tools at their disposal to assist with the selling process, such as listing power that takes full advantage of the internet. They also have excellent contacts all throughout the industry, including bankers, contractors, mortgage brokers and other real estate brokers that all work together to help smooth out the sometimes bumpy road of selling a home.
If you decide to list your home by yourself, you’d better be prepared to do your homework. Just think of the hassle and stress that one open house could bring, and then consider having the process controlled by a professional that’s been through it dozens of times.
Additionally, a professional real estate person will be able to prequalify potential buyers, saving valuable time. This is especially important if you’re moving into another home and that process is contigent upon you getting your current home sold.
An additional reason for hiring a real estate agent when selling your home is that the process can be time consuming and very expensive. An agent has many resources at his disposal and will pay for all advertising costs. Couple this with all the behind-the-scenes work that has to done when selling a home, and you can see that hiring the right real estate agent can really pay off for you.
Questions To Ask A Real Estate Agent
Before you just hire the first real estate agent you meet, you should consider giving them a mini-interview to see if they are a good fit for you and your situation. See below for some of the questions you should be asking your home seller.
A good starting point is to ask how long they’ve been in the real estate business. Brand new agents have plenty of drive are very eager to please, and I have nothing at all against hiring a less experienced agent if the fit is right. But some folks prefer agents with many years in the business so they can leverage their experience. Others pick someone their own age because they feel more confortable with them. You must decide what’s important to you.
Along these same lines, be sure to ask if the agent does this job full time. There are plenty of part-timers in the real estate industry, and while that’s okay with lots of people, you need to know up front whether or not the agent will be available when you have a quick question or concern. It’s also appropriate to ask how many homes the agent has sold in the last year.
Another great question to ask is “Do you have a sales plan for my home?” Good agents will have a process they go through when it comes to home selling, and you can get a comfortable feel for your potential agent if you hear good things about their mareting plan.
Be sure to ask about fees and commissions, an how long the contract will be. There’s no set contract length, so you will have to feel this one out, but generally speaking, you wouldn’t want to get locked into a 6 month contract, even though it could take that long to sell your home. It’s better to have a 3 month contract that can be easily renewed than to be locked in for 6 months or longer with an agent who isn’t doing the best job for you.
The Bottom Line
Hiring a real estate agent may seem complicated and intimidating, but be sure to consider all the value a professional can bring to the table regarding home selling. The process can be lengthy and take up plenty of time, so put a talented and experienced person to work for you. Preparing properly to sell your home is an important part of the process, and by following the above guidelines you’ll be able to narrow down your search and choose a real estate professional that’s right for you and your home.