How do you select the right real estate company, then the right agent to sell your property?

Sent in by Michael via Facebook

Picking the right real estate agent is imperative when selling your home and there is a lot to take into consideration.

There are approximately 188 real estate salespeople on the Hibiscus Coast, all working for a handful of real estate companies and most would be keen to get you to list with them. But regardless of the brand, they may not be the right agent for you so it pays to do your research on both the brand and the agent before you choose.

Tips on Research

• Ask for recommendations from friends and family who has sold property in the past.  A really good place for recommendations on the Hibiscus Coast is going to the Hibiscus Coast Facebook Page – the community is more than happy to recommend agents and share their experiences.
• Make note of who is active in your area, paying attention to properties sold rather than properties for sale.
• Check them out online – Google their name and run an online background check.  Read their online profiles and check out their past – LinkedIn is great for this.
• Where are they marketing their properties?  Are they on the main websites such as Trade Me and Realestate.co.nz?  Are they using new techniques such as social media?  And are they advertising in the Real Estate Outlook newspaper?
• Research the real estate brands – What commission do they charge & what level of service do they provide?  How does their company work?  Will you have one point of contact during the process or a multiple of people?  Is the company credible and well known?

From all of your research you can then create a shortlist of agents, if you haven’t already chosen one, to meet.  A lot of the time this is done by asking for a free market appraisal where the real estate agent comes through your property and gives you a price guide on the value of your home.  More often than not, if you get two or three agents in they are likely to come back with completely different price indications.

Instead you can use this time as more of an informal “interview” to get to know the agent because as a vendor it is important to trust and feel comfortable with the salesperson you choose. If you have good rapport with a salesperson,  you can form a relationship of trust then you can work alongside one another and achieve the most rewarding result for both parties.

It is still important that the agent you choose has the ability to market and present your home. They need to be able to demonstrate effectiveness, with a sales record that relates to that effectiveness.  Ask them if they experience selling properties of a similar type and nature to what you are asking them to sell.  Have they got any case studies or examples of homes they have sold, how they were sold, marketing plans used etc.  Most importantly, don’t choose an agent based on what they think your house is worth.

Pick the person first, the company second and a process third. It’s the personal relationship that counts most.

Got a question?  Contact Anita Dobson via email or Facebook! As seen in this week’s Real Estate Outlook.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed by Anita Dobson in this article are solely Dobson’s opinions and not necessarily the opinions of Harcourts Tandem Realty Ltd.  You should consider seeking advice from your own financial or investment advisor.