With your heart set on moving up the property ladder, it’s now time to find a real estate agent who’ll get you a great price for your current home.
You should already be feeling armed and dangerous with a pre-approved loan that sets out your budget for turning your dream home into a reality.
Now you need an agent who you can trust and communicate with easily.
You need to have confidence in your agent’s experience, track record of selling properties similar to yours and negotiating skills to give you the best shot at getting the highest price.
You should begin your search by seeking personal referrals from family and friends. Word of mouth is always the most trusted form of endorsement, but always validate everything you’re told.
It’s a good idea to visit open houses. You’ll see how local agents set up and describe the property to prospective buyers, deal with questions and, if you leave your details, how they conduct follow-ups.
Interview at least three agents that stand-out for you to get a sense of their experience, knowledge of the local area, and approaches to marketing and customer service. Take note of their general style and make sure you’re both on the same wavelength in terms of communication and how the property should be sold.
Don’t be afraid to request references and, if you do, be sure to follow through. Ask previous clients about the agent’s approach to marketing, their negotiation skills, the price attained and whether they were satisfied with the overall experience.
Lastly, read the agent’s contract carefully. It doesn’t matter how much you may favour one candidate over another; the contract should not be relegated in importance.
Once you’ve done your due diligence, we believe you should focus on the core attributes of what makes a great agent. These will determine your overall experience. Here are six traits that set our agents apart from the rest:
- Honesty – A great agent will be open and honest in response to your expectations of price, and the time on market for your property.
- Trusted adviser – We’ll suggest pre-sale improvements to the property that will have a positive impact on the price to be achieved. We’ll also share feedback of prospective buyers and offer context for any necessary response.
- Professionalism – We are clear, concise and regular communicators. We possess strong negotiation skills and have the ability to pre-empt buyer needs and fears. Empathy for your anxiety as a seller is foremost in our approach. We make sure you know we are on your side, and not merely trying to make a quick sale for a commission cheque.
- Skilful marketer – Good agents know how to market a property. We understand the power of great photography and the appropriate investment in advertising required to get a sale at a desirable price and in a reasonable timeframe.
- Thoughtful – They are attentive to the needs of buyers, even to the extent of providing water for those traipsing around “open for inspection” homes on hot Saturday mornings.
- After-sales care – Great agents stay in touch and make sure you were satisfied with the outcome of the campaign and how it was conducted.
