Hiring A Real Estate Agent Part 1: The Seller's Prospective

Not all Real Estate agents are created equal. When it comes to selling your home, you should do your research and make sure that the agent you hire to represent you and your home fits your needs.

The first thing that you should ask a potential real estate agent is if they are a Realtor. Contrary to popular belief, not all agents are Realtors. Realtors are sales agents that had to undergo additional training to get certified. On top of the usual real estate training, Realtors undergo special ethics courses, and must abide by strict association rules to remain a member of the National Association of Realtors. They are considered to be the best of the best.

You will also want to ask an agent what services they offer. Each agent sells homes differently. Some work full time and will work around the clock to promote your home, where others only dabble in real estate or work part time, which means that your home may not be a top priority to them. Is the agent willing to meet you out of their office, perhaps drive to your place of employment for a signature or other important business transactions? Will they meet the home inspector and tradesmen that are called to your house? Will they work directly with your attorney to hash out the details of future offers? These are all important things to consider. At the end of the day you will be paying an agent commission, so make sure that you get what you want and need out of the experience, and essentially, get what you are going to pay for!

Just as important is how an agent plans on marketing your home. Not all agencies are created equal. Some spend a larger amount of their budget to promote your home on hyper-local, regional and national websites than others.  The more places that your home shows up, whether it be the internet or print resources such as the realtor.com magazines, the more interest it will draw. The more views your listing gets the more foot traffic. More foot traffic will hopefully translate into more offers to purchase.

It is also beneficial to do a little research on your own about the agency in general. How are they perceived in the marketplace? What is the recognition and comfort levels with the agency? How much of the market share do they own? People are generally more comfortable with brands that they recognize, because there is already a subconscious trust that they have developed.

At the end of the day, when listing your house, you should interview multiple agents and agencies to make sure that you hire the one that is best for you and your home. Take time to sit down and compare how the marketing strategies differ from one agent to another. What do they bring to the table that is unique to you and your property? These are all things to consider when hiring someone to promote your home. You want an agent that is just as excited about your home as you are.

Are you ready to list your house? Contact Stephanie Graham at Mathieu Newton Sotheby's International Realty. ph: 774.293.0407 email: stephanie.graham@sothebysrealty.com