Your listing has expired and now you're wondering what to do. The
most important question you must ask is, "where did I go wrong?".
The answer is not usually within you, but with the agent you entrusted.
Don't be spooked by the death of a listing. The sale of your
home is still within reach.
Be prepared with the right information so you can interview your
prospective agent with confidence and assure you make the right
choice this time.
With
hundreds or even thousands of dollars at stake and weeks of time
invested don't risk making the same mistake twice. Make sure
your next agent is eminently qualified to sell your home.
Don't risk this decision out of obligation to a friend, family member
or acquaintance. Your listing has expired and it's easy to develop
the identity of having a problem property in the market place.
So... it's vitally important to choose the right agent this time
around.
Typically, most people will ask business associates, family or
friends to recommend someone who they have had good luck with...
someone they can trust. Other sellers will watch neighbourhood
real estate signs to see who is listing many of the homes.
Still others rely upon the reputation of the major national franchise
companies. Then, of course. there's always the yellow pages.
All of these methods could prove to be disaster!
Trust Your Instincts First!
When
selecting an agent, he or she should be someone you feel good about,
someone you're willing to trust with one of the biggest financial
transactions you may ever engage in. This report is designed to
empower you with the information necessary to make the right decision
before you arrive at the place where you're ready to sign on the
dotted line again. Don't allow the prospective agent to dictate
your time table. If an agent is impatient you should consider
them automatically suspect… be careful.
Do Your Homework!
Ask For References From Past Sellers --
Before you sign another listing agreement check out references from
past sellers. Flattering letters praising the agent's work.
. in a presentation book...are a great start, but dig deeper.
Ask for telephone numbers and names of the past three sellers and
names of at least two current listings.
Know The Company's Reputation -- Ask your business
associates, family and friends about the company or agent and listen
carefully for the very first thing they say. A company has a reputation
in the community... Listen closely for it!
Call The Real Estate Commission -- Call and ask
about consumer complaints. Be sure and take note of the number
and nature but don't base your entire decision on this information.
In a slow or declining
market agents will get more complaints because the sellers are frustrated
that their home isn't moving and they want someone to blame when
it's simply poor market conditions... so always allow your prospective
agent to explain any complaints and their response seems reasonable
take that into consideration.
Call The Better Business Bureau -- See if the
agent has had any bad dealings with his or her customers.
Ask For A Record Of The Agent's Marketing Innovations
-- How are they dealing with current market conditions? Is
there a plan to beef up their advertising and marketing efforts
to benefit the seller? Residential real estate has a long
history of economic cycles. The market is either hot, improving,
static or declining, and with each cycle there has to be a
plan to cope with the current market.
Don’t Stop Asking!
Ask for a comparison chart of last year's sales to this years sales.
How is the agent and the company doing? Ask for a history of the
agent…how many companies have they been with and why did they
change? If the reason is always money there may be some thing wrong.
Be careful because if your agent changes companies your listing
belongs to the broker and you may get a new inexperienced agent
as your replacement... this could he very costly!
Final Questions
Ask For a Detailed Marketing Plan -- A step-by-step
plan of the first four weeks, eight weeks and twelve weeks your
home will be on the market. Make sure your agent is utilizing the
latest innovative technologies for generating sales leads... there
are ways to, literally, generate lends 24 hours a day! These new
marketing tools will help sell your home faster and for more money!
Define Planning Times -- Establish a time with
your agent to go over the marketing results within the first 15
days. Ask for all showings and feedback from other agents.
Help the agent understand that any news is good even if it's bad
because it helps you make adjustments in your marketing plan.
If
you follow these suggestions you're sure to avoid the mistakes of
the past. Make sure you're dealing with a competent professional...
making the right choice is worth thousands of dollars and a great
sense of "peace of mind".
We sincerely hope these tips and ideas are of value to you. If
there is any way we can be of service please contact our office...
we would consider it a privilege to serve you! If you would
like a free consultation, you can e-mail
us for your Free Information here. Remember, there is
no Pressure, no Hassles and no Obligation!
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