Home sales are on the rise, but we are still in a relatively competitive real estate market. To be successful in selling your home, it is best to work with a realtor that really knows what they're doing and can help you get the most from your #1 investment. There are a number of things to look for to locate a top real estate agent. Here are 4 essentials they must have:
Accessibility
The first thing to consider when choosing any kind of professional to work with is how accessible they make themselves. There are some agents that will not stay in touch with you and are very difficult to get a hold of. You will find this especially true with realtors that sell homes on a part-time basis; they are at their regular jobs on weekdays, so the only time you can ever talk to them is on Saturdays and Sundays, and even then they might be tough to reach. Make sure to choose a real estate broker that is full-time and full service - meaning they are responsive to concerns and always get back to you quickly when you call.
Knows the Local Market
The next thing to be sure of is how well your agent really knows your local neighborhood. For example, if you live in a large metro area such as Philadelphia, it may be 50 miles or more drive from one suburb to another. Now if realtor X works on the far northwest side of town, and your home is on the southeast side, how well do you think he/she knows your local area? Sure, they can do a market analysis with the numbers, but chances are you know a whole lot more about what's really going on in your local market. The point is - be sure the real estate broker you choose is local to your part of town. This way, they will be far more likely to understand how to set the right price and move your home.
Professional Associations
A good realtor will normally work with a team of professionals that will make the home selling process smoother and more successful. These may include a mortgage banker, staging professional, home inspector, and title company. Selling a home involves several 'moving parts', and it is important that these folks work well together to ensure that there will be no unnecessary delays or hang ups in the selling of your home.
Expertise with Marketing
Finally, a top realtor knows how to market your home. And I don't mean just holding open houses and placing newspaper ads - though these are important. You need a real estate agent that goes the extra mile with creative digital advertising, open houses that attract other realtors that may have interested buyers, magazine listings, YouTube videos, and many more. At the end of the day, selling a home comes down to a numbers game - the more targeted prospects you draw, the better the chances of your ideal buyer showing up sooner and paying more. Toward that end, the more marketing done, the better the chances that the house gets sold for top dollar.
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