Key Factors To Consider When Selecting An Agent

Choosing an Agent to sell probably your most valuable asset is not an easy task. You want to have a pleasant experience and achieve an exceptional result. Selecting the best real estate agent is imperative. We have put together a list to assist you.

1. Pick an Agent, not an Agency.

Some people choose an agency based on brand, this should be a consideration however more importantly choosing the right Agent as they are who will be selling your home and working with you.

2. Online Research.

A good way to start is to look at agents in your area who are selling homes around your price point. It is no good contacting an agent who sells multi-million-dollar homes if your property is around $800,000. Find someone with a lot of experience selling properties in your price range in your local area. High-performing agents will have a strong digital presence.

3. Local Market Knowledge.

A top-performing agent will have strong local market knowledge. They should provide a local market report and discuss with you the local property trends, what’s selling, what’s sold and for how much. They will be able to tell you how much they think your property is worth and how long they think it will take to sell your property, also the best method of sale to get the best result.

4. Someone you feel you can trust.

Real estate is a service industry and it’s the agent who goes the extra mile to make their clients feel valued, confident, and secure that will get the best results. You need to meet them in person and make sure you feel comfortable with them and have confidence that they will get the best result for you. Are they friendly,

approachable, transparent, and likeable? Selling a property can be a stressful and challenging process, however having an agent whom you feel comfortable working with is important to help make the process as stress-free as possible.

5. Review their sales Results and what they are currently selling.

How many days on the market is their average sale? Do they have a high auction clearance rate? Ensure they have a strong database of clients who are interested in properties like yours.

6. Highest Valuation and lowest commission are not always the right choice.

Some agents will try to “buy” your listing, they will tell you your property is worth more than it is so they can get the listing and when there is no interest at this price, they will endeavour to get you to reduce your price to where buyer interest is. You want an agent to be truthful with you regarding the value of your property and show

you comparable sales and prove why they believe you will achieve this price. You also do not want to choose the agent with the lowest commission. How hard are they going to work for you if they are getting paid less than the average commission?

If they do not see their own value and can’t quantify why they deserve a higher commission rate, and drop their own commission, how quickly will they want to drop the value of your home? Wouldn’t you prefer to pay a higher commission rate if that means you will get a higher price for your property? The old saying “Pay peanuts and

you get monkeys”.

7. What marketing strategies will they use?

Digital marketing is a necessity, and platforms such as realestate.com.au, domain.com.au, and numerous others should be on your marketing schedule. Will they be putting a board out the front of your home to attract potential buyers? Do they suggest print advertising and if so, what is the advantage? How do they intend to promote your property to their existing database of clients? Who do they believe will be your target audience and how will they appeal to them? What will be the cost?

8. Reviews and Testimonials

High-performing agents will have a list of recent clients and testimonials. Some of these clients will have a phone number and have agreed to speak to potential vendors. Feel free to ask permission to contact these clients to ask how the agent performed. You can also check out Google reviews and comments.

We hope this Blog has given you some assistance in finding the right agent for you.

My Agent Scout can take a lot of this research off your hands and present you with two or three top-performing agents from which to choose.

Feel free to contact us at hello@myagentscout.com.au.