Useful Tips: Real Estate Agents and Selling Your Property

 

Some real estate agents won’t sell your property unless the time has been spent on presenting your property for sale at its best, as they know professionally styled properties helps them sell gain a higher sale price, faster.

 
Professionally styled properties present much better in personal viewings, on the internet and in all photography used in print advertising. During viewings they can also help to sell the property on emotion and lifestyle instead of dodging difficult questions about what needs to be done.

Before you engage a real estate agent you should have a fair and realistic price in mind for your property. They of course will give you an appraisal, but as we all know you don’t necessarily go for the agent that tells you the highest possible selling price. Do your homework and you will be able to assess what the agents are telling you.

When To Get Agents Involved

While you’ve been going through the process of cleaning, de-cluttering, and homework on the real estate around your area, you will of course have brought your agent list down to a few options. Someone who has given you excellent service while showing other homes and been professional and polite every time they see or speak to you.
Now that your home is looking fresh and fabulous is the time to get the agents through and receive their sales kits and their market valuation for your property, suggestions regarding your home and how they believe it should be marketed. If there are areas in your property that you are not sure if you should upgrade to get more back than you spend, ask the Agents their opinion. Agents generally have good tradesmen contacts for painting, electrical etc. including good handymen also. I’m sure you will check their testimonials and listen to what each says, but basically when it gets this far, it comes down to how they suit your style and personality.

Things To Let Your Agent Know

• Is there any noise pollution from trains, buses, planes, schools etc?
• At what time is the sun in its best position to compliment the house. Morning? More towards midday? Or the afternoon?
• Anything tricky or helpful regarding your address or how to find your property. For example: ‘On the corner of’ or ‘Enter via Blue Street’, or 4th Floor if not detailed in the foyer of your apartment.
•  That you would like to be involved when the photographs are taken

Tips For A Good Agent/Client Relationship

• Check your agents testimonials, negotiate commission structure, decide on a marketing plan, dot your i’s and cross your t’s with all costs involved in the sale of your property with your chosen Agent. Sign off on this and then don’t haggle or change your mind!
• Don’t stay for Open For Inspections
• Leave the agent to look after prospects

Once you’ve found the right agent to sell your property, think about where to spend to achieve a higher sale price. If you are in need of a more in-depth guide to organising and styling your property for sale, take a look at our e-book Home Styling 100 DIY Tips or view the services Instant Interiors – Residential Styling has to offer.