California real estate is incredibly complicated. The amount of disclosers is staggering. The areas to lose money are wide-ranging in the real estate transaction. It is an exceedingly wise decision to hire a professional real estate agent. How to choose a real estate agent to represent you when you are selling your property is a critical decision
Recognizing the value of the three most important aspects of selling a house will give a guide line to finding the best real estate agent. Then find the suitable real estate agent who can deliver these services to maximize your real estate value. Pricing, Marketing and The Real Estate Transaction are the three central skills a listing real estate agent must have.
How to price the property to sell correctly
Setting the home price is the toughest part about selling, yet it is the single most important factor to consider. Establishing the right price is the key to how the property can be sold and how fast.
Selling a house for the maximum price is commonly the most important factor to a property owner. But highest price is not always going to work for every property. Understanding the current local real estate market is key. We buy houses in Sacramento is a fast easy way to sell your house.
Note, I said understanding. In today’s market, many real estate agents are setting the price too low. Most agents just do a CMA or Comparative Market Analysis. The problem in this market is that most sales are distressed property sales. A short sale and REO generally sell well below retail selling price. In addition, many homes are selling for cash. These cash buyers generally are real estate investors. An investor buys property below retail price.
Therefore many real estate agents are telling their clients to set a low wholesale or distressed price on their home. Yes, the property sells fast. But the reason is that they are priced to sell as distressed, not full price. And, the sad fact is, in today’s market there are many retail home buyers willing to pay full price. This means, if you sold your property that way, you lost tens of thousands of dollars of profit you could have kept if your house was priced correctly.
Maximizing the full profit potential for my client is the goal when we price a property. It is harder work. But it pays off for the home seller.
This is just one of the price-setting criteria we use in determining the price. Other factors are the micro area issues as well as the general area impact. The condition of the property and buildings are important elements to setting the price that are commonly over looked. How many upgrades and how well maintained are key elements. Special value points like access issues, garage elements, special rooms, office, sewing, baby, feng shui, yard size, and the list goes on and on. Even the property’s providence could have a big impact on price.
Make sure the real estate professional understands and uses a pricing system above the CMA standard to price your home. If they are not, then keep looking for another agent who will serve your needs, not theirs.
Real estate marketing is the key to get the best price for your home
Marketing your home to sell is another major element when choosing a real estate agent to sell your home. Marketing your house is paramount. Some real estate agents just put your home into the MLS system. Unfortunately, this simple marketing plan will not generate the most leads and might not bring the best price.
The real estate agent that takes the personal approach to each and every house we sell has the best marketing system. The goal is to maximize a house’s attributes in a way the home buyer finds attractive and valuable.
There are many marketing tools used to sell houses. A property can use all of them or just the right ones to sell your house. A creative agent can even generate a one-of-a-kind marketing tool or event to sell your house.
Some marketing tools are virtual tours which give a striking full screen panoramic view of your house, web pages or even a whole web site just to market your home. For Sale signs, social media projects and maybe a special mailing program are just a few of the tools used by professional real estate agents to find the buyer willing to pay the most for your home.
You can check out a more comprehensive list of real estate marketing tools at: selling real estate
One important key element of real estate marketing is home staging. Home staging is the process of preparing a home to sell in the real estate marketplace. Home staging works by making a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers. It can be done professionally or by the seller.
Dan Parisi Sacramento’s Probate Realtor that is a Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist will share the basics of how the probate sale process works.
Setting the Stage for a Successful House Sale
Three words best describe home preparation: Clean, Bright and Uncluttered. Focus the majority of your efforts into getting your home as clean as possible and into making rooms look light and bright and clutter free. When it comes to cleaning, pay special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms. Potential buyers will be looking closely at these areas, so keep them as fresh as possible during the listing period.
Declutter! You don’t want to move all that stuff anyway, so now is the time to hold a yard sale or donate to local organizations. You might also want to put excess furniture in storage while your home is being shown. This is a great way to declutter each room to make it look more spacious. There are dozens of moveable storage companies where they bring a storage box to your home, you fill it and they take it to their storage facility. It’s a lot easier to move and store items temporarily than hauling your furniture and boxes to a stationary storage facility. Just look up “portable storage companies” on the internet.
10 Basic House Staging Checklist:
- Clean wall to wall carpets, paying particular attention to high traffic areas.
- Open all the curtains and shades to let in as much natural light as possible.
- Wash windows inside and out and clean light fixtures.
- Organize and stack linens and clothing neatly in all closets.
- Before each showing appointment, turn on lamps and overhead lights to brighten rooms. a lot of light makes them more appealing and also helps them to appear more spacious.
- Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms. Look for stains and other unsightly signs of use.
- Make sure that rooms are a comfortable temperature.
- Empty all trash baskets regularly.
- Some home selling professionals suggest removing all personal items like family photos, knickknacks, books and other items of that nature.
- Avoid artificial room fresheners as some people do not tolerate the scented air. Instead, if you have notice of a showing, bake some cookies and leave them out for the potential buyers. Nothing says “home” like the aroma of fresh-baked cookies.
Staging a house is just one of the important aspects of marketing your house. Some real estate agents just put your home into the system and see what happens. Unfortunately this simple marketing plan may have inborn negative affect on the house you’re selling. Coffee Real Estate professional Agents makes an individual marking plan to sell your property. It takes more work for a professional real estate agents but he maximizes the property’s value.
Ask the real estate agent if they are going to spend money marketing the property. Find out if they have spent money in the past on marketing. I have knowledge of a real deal where the agent spent $5,000 up front in marketing cost to bring buyers with good offers to the seller. This kind of commitment is what is needed to sell some properties.
The Real Estate Transaction is very important to close the deal and get the money for your home.
The real estate transaction in California is complicated to say the least. The real estate transaction has legal issues involved as well as taxes, zoning, ownership, legal transfer, liens, encumbrances, property rights, fees and more fees. The list is a lot longer, but who likes to read lists?
Many real estate agents just write the listing contract then hope everyone else does there job. Just ask the average real estate agent how many deals “blow up” or did not go all the way through closing and you will be surprised. Many could not be helped. But many could have been prevented and would have saved the home owner grief and problems.
I recently sold a home that had two offers near the same price. But one offer was going to be problem free to close and the other one had many places where the deal could have blown up. The reason I knew this was because I did my due diligence on the prospective buyers and understood the financial strengths and weakness of each one. The deal closed on time with very minor issues to resolve along the way.
Not having a deal go through to closing can have a tremendous impact on the home sellers. The cost in time and money can be major. A committed real estate agent that will stay on top of the transaction is a must.
I also believe in a team approach to the real estate transaction. I have transaction coordinators that handle hundreds of real estate transactions a year on my team. They help keep an eye out for any paper work problems.
Transaction coordinators, escrow account managers, lawyers, mortgage specialists, specialized real estate agents, tax professionals and other personnel may be needed to close a real estate transaction. Working with an experienced professional team could save thousands of dollars as well as legal and tax expenditures.
A real estate agent could be new to the business, and if they do not have an experienced professional team backing them up, you are taking a big risk listing with them. Ask about how they will insure that the real estate transaction process will go smoothly. Though an agent without a good team can be problematic, an agent with no team is even worse. Laws and taxes change every year. Having one person keep up with all the fields needed in a real estate transaction is a little unrealistic. Protect yourself and work with a real estate agent that has a proven team.
Ask how the real estate agent is going to set the price on the home. Ask how they will market the property. Ask how they will see the real estate transaction to closing. And if you like the answers then choose them to list your home. If not, keep looking. It is too important a decision to trust to an acquaintance or family friend who isn’t qualified.
- Experience and Track Record: One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a real estate agent is their experience and track record. Look for an agent who has a proven track record of selling properties in your area and has experience handling transactions similar to yours. This will give you peace of mind knowing that your agent has the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively market and sell your property.
- Reputation: Reputation is everything in the world of real estate, so it’s important to choose an agent who has a good one. Ask for referrals from friends and family, and check online reviews to get a sense of the agent’s reputation. A good agent will have a history of happy clients who are more than happy to share their positive experiences.
- Marketing and Communication Skills: A good real estate agent will have a strong marketing plan to get your property in front of as many potential buyers as possible. Look for an agent who is skilled in using digital marketing and social media to reach a wide audience, and who has a strong understanding of local real estate market trends. Excellent communication skills are also essential; choose an agent who will keep you informed and up-to-date throughout the process and who you feel comfortable communicating with regularly.
- Availability and Responsiveness: When it comes to selling your property, time is of the essence. Choose an agent who is available and responsive to your needs, and who you feel comfortable working with on a consistent basis. Your agent should be easy to reach and quick to respond to your questions and concerns, so that you never feel like you’re in the dark about what’s happening with your property. Selling your home fast is always a good way.
- Commission Rate: Commission rate is an important factor to consider when choosing a real estate agent, but it should not be the only factor. Consider the commission rate and make sure it is reasonable and in line with the industry standard. However, don’t sacrifice quality for cost – a good real estate agent is worth their weight in gold. Some cash home buyers in Sacramento will buy your house with no commissions. Selling your home in “as is” condition is a fast and easy way.
In conclusion, when choosing the right real estate agent when selling your property requires careful consideration. Take your time, do your research, and choose an agent who you trust and feel confident will represent your interests and effectively sell your property. With the right agent by your side, you can rest assured that your property will be in good hands and that the selling process will be as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Don’t use a friend, family member or someone who says they are a good realtor as your main guide to choosing a real estate agent to sell your home. Check out how good they are before hiring them.
To ask Dan Parisi any of these questions about how to find a quality real estate agent to list your property just fill out the form and he will personally reply.
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