Typically, a home is a person’s largest asset – often by a healthy margin. So, when it comes time to sell that asset, it’s normal for a person to cross their figurative t’s and dot their i’s. You want to make sure that you extract as much value from your home. You want to ensure the sale happens smoothly, quickly and (relatively) friction-free.
And most importantly, you want to feel confident knowing that your most significant asset is in the hands of a capable, experienced and hard-working deal-maker. That’s where a quality listing agent is essential.
This post explores a few criteria to consider as you shop around for the right listing agent. If you want to find the top realtors for hire, create a checklist based on the standards and benchmarks below.
Experience Means a Sure Hand in a Turbulent Market
It’s true that experience isn’t everything – at least not on an individual agent basis. It’s perfectly plausible that a plucky, young agent, fresh from their licensing course, can provide stellar service. But be advised that for every outstanding freshman agent, there’s a young agent who doesn’t quite know what they’re doing yet.
To bypass the gamble and ensure a steady hand in a turbulent market, look for experience. Specifically, find an agency that boasts decades of experience and a solid standing in the real estate community. These well-entrenched agencies often hire top talent (new or seasoned), so you know you’re in good hands.
Stats Like Annual Sales and Average Days on Market Paint a Compelling Picture
Be suspicious of a real estate agency that doesn’t transparently post its details and achievements. Instead, look for stats like annual sales (expressed in dollar amount), average sale price, average days on market, and transactions per week. Together, these statistics paint a compelling and accurate picture of what you can expect from a real estate agency.
A Robust, Globally-Focused Marketing Strategy Ensures Ample Exposure
You want your home to reach as many eyeballs as possible – in an engaging, grabby way. You don’t want a realtor who takes a few photos with a grainy phone camera, posts the listing to a bare minimum MLS, and calls it a day.
Look for agencies that leverage a robust multichannel marketing strategy, including conventional MLS, social media promotion, company website advertisement, physical media and global outreach.
Verified Reviews Are a People-Powered Vote of Confidence (Most of the Time)
Sometimes, reviews can offer a skewed view of an agency’s merits. The people who feel compelled to leave reviews are either a) very happy with the service they experienced or b) very unhappy about something.
Still, it’s a worthwhile detail to check – if solely from a due diligence standpoint. Read the contents of the reviews to determine whether each poster has a legitimate reason to feel positively or negatively about the agency.
By highlighting experience, poring over statistics, emphasizing marketing bona fides, and considering online reviews, you should be able to find a winning team of listing agents. Now, the only thing left to do is meet them for an in-person consultation to get a read up close.