Winston Saga
It is not uncommon that people are keen on selling their homes privately, but the time and effort needed to get the price would be beyond their control.
It is therefore in their interest to choose the right agent.
Professional agents will have a pool of ready buyers on their database. They would choose the best for you.
Care and Caution essential
You must be careful in choosing the right agent. You need to interview a few before you make the final decision. As a home owner, you should have time to speak with the agents in person and be convinced of their experience, expertise and track record.
You should find out where they had worked before joining the real estate industry and whether they have marketing, selling and negotiation skills.
You should also determine if the agency that the real estate agent represents has a large presence in the market. It is always good to find an agent from a reputable and bigger agency because when you list your property, it would be forwarded to all its offices. Thus, perhaps about 200 agents working in that agency will come to know of your property.
Know your agent
There are online resources to check the profiles and credentials of agents. Some of them have their own websites, with information on the number of properties they have sold, with relevant details.
When you shortlist agents, ask questions on their plan to sell, their marketing campaign and other strategies. Some of them could be buyers’ agents, in which case, they will try to reduce the price of your property. Please ask for the prices of properties sold recently.
Many times, home owners want to give a general listing to many agents from different agencies. I prefer exclusive listing because the agent will do a much better job.
Know your property
Ask the agent whether the house should be ‘staged.’ What are the highlights about the property? What are its positive and negative factors? What is the likely market trend?
There are more than 10,000 agents in New Zealand. Not everyone is the right person to sell your home. You want someone with great experience – a person who is trust- worthy and give lots of time to sell the property.
A local agent will be far better than someone who is experienced but living away from your local area. Local agents have more knowledge of the area with more buyers on their database. As a home owner, you should be able to work with an agent who is friendly and easy.
Visiting Open Homes
Please visit Open Homes in your area and see how agents are demonstrating or communicating with clients. Are they friendly and know about the property well? Have they provided comprehensive information? Are the flyers informative and attractive?
Real estate agents should always have a close relationship with the home owner. Once the property is listed they should keep in touch with the vendor at least three times a week. Top agents call every day and share market developments.
Winston Saga is a Licenced Real Estate Agent with Harcourts based in Sunnynook, Auckland. His advertisement appears on Page 10 of this issue. Website: http://harcourts.co.nz/SN3376
