The Right Questions To Ask When Interviewing A Selling Agent
Choosing a selling agent for your toronto home is a big decision because your agent is a key player in all aspects of the sale of your property. Unfortunately, many toronto home owners don’t pay enough attention to spending enough time and asking the right questions to choose the best selling agent for their needs.
Why is the selling agent so important?
It’s simple. The selling agent is the one person who has perhaps the most influence on the sale of your home, both in terms of how fast it sells and the price at which it sells. A good selling agent knows how to help you set a realistic sales price, backing up their opinion with the necessary facts and figures to support it. Once your home is listed the agent is responsible for the effective marketing of your property; that is, getting it seen by real estate brokers, real estate agents, and plenty of buyers.
Once an offer comes in on your home the selling agent is vital to helping you understand what’s in the offer, whether it’s a reasonable offer for your property, and making a final decision on whether to counter offer or accept the offer as written. Of course this final decision is yours and yours alone, but the guidance of a good selling agent can make it much easier to determine the right decision to make.
Finally, as your Toronto property goes through the closing process the selling agent should be an active participant at all stages, from home inspection to the signing of the final papers. There are many obstacles that can arise during this time period and your selling agent should have the experience and knowledge necessary to help smooth them over and bring the transaction to a final close.
The right questions to ask when interviewing a selling agent
Since the selling agent is so important to your home sale process, it’s important to ask the right questions to determine which selling agent is right for your needs. Some examples of areas to cover include:
Experience – How much experience does the agent have? What certifications and/or expanded education does the agent have? Is the agent familiar with the neighbourhood in which your home is located? You want to choose an agent with the experience and knowledge necessary to understand the current real estate market and sell your home quickly.
Performance – What is the agent’s sales record over the previous 3 months? 6 months? 12 months? What is the agent’s record of original listing price vs. final sale price? Lots of selling agents claim to be high performers, but the real proof is in their actual sales record. If the selling agent is not willing to provide you with this information then move on to someone else.
Marketing – What is the marketing plan for your Toronto home? How will the selling agent make sure your home is seen by as many potential buyers as possible? What is the marketing budget he or she has set aside for your home? The better the selling agent is at marketing your home, the more exposure it will get in the market and the more potential buyers he or she will bring to your door.
Commission/Fee – What is the selling agent’s commission? This is an area where it’s important to look at more than just the percentage amount and give proper consideration to what you’re actually getting for your money. In general, selling agents who charge discounted fees do so for a reason and that reason is often that they are not as skilled at their profession. You want to minimise your costs, of course, but not if that means lengthening the amount of time your home is on the market or ending up with a lower than expected final sale price.
Choosing the right selling agent for your Toronto home is a critical decision that can literally affect everything that happens along the road from listing to final closing. Take the time to interview several agents and use the information contained here to help guide you in making a final choice.
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