Looking to sell your home?
The earlier you begin, the better and less stressful the journey will be. Educate yourself on the steps of selling your home, from listing and offers to negotiations and contract.
Especially if it’s your first time, you probably have a lot of questions, including:
How much is my home worth?
Should I use an agent?
What should I look for in an agent?
These are the right questions to ask. You need to do research to ensure you work with the right people, sell your home quickly, and get the price you want.
To make sure selling your home goes smoothly, you should partner with an agent who cares about your goals. This way, you don’t make any missteps that cost you money or time.
This guide covers everything you need to know about hiring a real estate agent.
Should I hire a real estate agent?
You may be thinking: Why hire a real estate agent? You can sell your home yourself and avoid the realtor commission.
You could do that. But selling your home involves lots of work, decisions, and negotiation. You have to do the marketing, negotiations, and legal work. Given all the responsibilities, it’s not surprising that nearly 90% of home sellers hire a real estate agent.
Moreover, those that hire a real estate agent tend to be satisfied with the results. According to a survey from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 69% of sellers would use the same agent again.
Obviously, there are advantages to having a professional help sell your home. Perhaps that’s why the average sales price for realtor-listed homes exceeds owner-listed homes by $60K.
“Pricing is more than just going online, typing your address in, getting a value, and then sticking a sign in the yard. If you want to sell for top dollar and put the most amount of money in your pocket, you need to align yourself with an agent that prioritizes your success and has a high level of local knowledge. They know the homes that sold on the market and off of the market. These are areas that the online algorithms do not take into consideration.”
This comes from Jonathan Campbell, Vice President of Sales at DLP Realty, one of the fastest-growing real estate firms in the country.
Remember: A home is most likely the biggest asset you’ll ever sell. Unless you have professional expertise or have the time, energy, and resources to commit to the selling process, hiring an agent will probably benefit your bottom line. And isn’t that what’s it’s all about?
What to look for in a real estate agent
Ideally, you want to maximize selling price and minimize time. You not only want to sell your house fast, but also at the right price. Achieving the perfect balance there will deliver you the best ROI.
When you hire a real estate agent, don’t get wowed by the first agent you find. Instead, look for those who care for their clients and go the extra mile to ensure you’re selling your home at the price you want.
Ultimately, what you need is someone committed to your success. At DLP Realty, for instance, you can’t hire real estate agents. You hire success managers. These success managers focus solely on achieving your goals as a seller. That means:
Doing careful analysis to price your home right.
Making efforts to maximize showings and offers.
Sticking to a specific timeline to guarantee a successful sale.
Aiding in negotiations to ensure you stick to established price points.
“At DLP Realty, our success managers will intently listen to what your current situation is and look to solve it given our wide range of solutions,” adds Campbell.
In short, if you want to hire the right real estate agent, look for a realtor that best focuses on your financial needs. The best real estate agent is one whose goals are aligned with yours (the seller).
Questions to ask your real estate agent
When considering an agent, ask questions like:
What is my home worth? Pricing is an art. How fast you sell your home depends on how accurate you price the home. Research your area and what homes in your neighborhood have sold for. Inquire with experts, such as real estate success managers at DLP Realty. They can provide detailed guidance on how to best price your home.
How can I reach qualified buyers? It’s more than sticking a sign in your yard. You need a marketing plan that brings you people that are ready to buy a home.
How can I get my home ready for sale? Read over guides on how to stage your home. According to research from the National Association of Realtors, proper home staging can increase sale price by 6-10%. That’s more money in your wallet.
How can I increase my home’s value? From remodeling the kitchen and painting to enhancing energy efficiency, there’s a lot you can do. Enhancing curb appeal will also attract more potential buyers.
How can I reduce the costs of selling my home? Repairs, commission costs, staging, and more add up. You have ways to reduce these expenses and take home a larger piece of the pie.
Choose an agent that takes all of your questions into consideration and aims to realize your goals. The right agent will not only lay a detailed plan to achieve success, but they’ll also show they’re ready to help you every step of the way.
Sell Your Home Quickly and at the Best Price
A lot goes into selling your home, from pricing and marketing to showings and negotiations. This necessitates you get as informed as possible. Because selling your home is a journey and the more you know about the process, the better it will go.
When you sell your home, you want a successful and profitable sale. That’s what’s most important, right? If you partner with the right people, it could turn out better than you imagine. That means more money back in your hands. So you shouldn’t just hire any agent…
At DLP Realty, we use success managers. Our success managers not only guarantee your home sells quickly and at the best price, but their goals are your goals. Through innovative solutions, like the Immediate Buyout Program and the Guaranteed Sale Program, our team can guarantee the successful sale of your home.