Seller's Info

Selling Your SnowHome?

How Do You Choose the Right Agent?           

In the alternative, why even care?  Well, your success in selling your home is very dependent on the quality of the agent you select to represent you in that sale.  You know that an agent doesn't get paid until a sale occurs.  So, would you be concerned if an agent were unable or afraid to spend the necessary money to properly expose your home to potential buyers?  Would you be concerned if an agent simply put your property listing into our multiple listing service (MLS), put up a sign and prayed that it would sell? 

In Summit County, we have over 550 Realtor members in our Association.  But, 90% of the real estate transactions are facilitated by only about 10% of the agents.  Around half of our agents sell one or zero properties a year.  25% of our membership turns over each year.  You would be well advised to determine where your agent ranks.  This is an important decision.  So, here are our (biased, of course) recommendations.  First, choose an agent who:

• Knows how to get your home the best exposure.  Exposure increases the chances of your home selling and for the best price.  Confirm that your agent:
  • Has a personal website, that the site is content-rich and that it places well in the Internet search engines.  In 2003, 72% of all home buyers in the U.S. started on the Internet.  Often, they selected their agent prior to shopping for their home.
  • Advertises in print publications.  Though not the best way to obtain buyers, repetition of the company name will create more traffic for all. 
  • Spends an appropriate amount of money on other advertising.
• Produces a virtual tour or slide show of your property and places it on the Internet for buyers to see.  Two-thirds of buyers who viewed properties on the Internet indicated that they look for virtual tours, and all website visitors want to see photos, lots of them. 
• Knows how to use a camera, and uses it.  Too many agents take only one photo of a property (some take none at all).  Digital cameras make photo taking easy and inexpensive.  There is no reason that you should not have 8 photos with your listing in our MLS and many more on agent and other websites.  The only exception might be if you were selling a distressed property that just did not photograph well at all. 
• Believes in continuing education to keep up on the latest in selling techniques, and to network with agents locally and in other locales.  Most successful agents attend conferences around the country where they meet other agents, and they then refer business to each other. 
• Follows through.  Would it be important to you to get feedback from your agent along the course of the time it is on the market?  Successful agents have mechanisms in place to obtain feedback from other agents who show your property and pass that feedback to you.  They will also keep you abreast of other matters that might affect your property, its condition, pricing, etc. 

While no one can guarantee a quick sale, an agent who performs like this will make your selling experience smoother, will cause you less anxiety, and will provide the highest possibility of a successful sale.