Within the real estate industry, the agent who represents the seller is known as the “listing agent,” and the one who represents the buyer is the “selling agent.” Seems odd, we know. After all, the listing agent is responsible for selling the home. But, it’s important to know the terminology to avoid confusion.
Successful listing agents acquire an entirely different skill set than selling agents. Marketing is chief among these skills, as it can make or break the homeowner’s bottom line.
The sale of anything requires customers. The more potential customers, the better the chances the item will sell and for a good price. It’s the same in real estate. Marketing on multiple platforms brings more “eyes” on your home, increasing the chances you’ll sell it quickly and for top dollar.
So, the first thing you want to determine about your possible listing team is that they have not only marketing skills, but a marketing budget to put those skills to work. Part-time agents and new agents typically have little to no advertising budget and depend on what we call the “list and pray” method.
This means they plan on sticking a sign out in front of the house, a lockbox on the door and an entry in the Multiple Listing database. That’s it.
Remember, you’ll pay the same commission for the list and pray agent as you will to the marketing dream team, so choose wisely.
Next, look for the agent to have some familiarity with your neighborhood or community. Since all real estate is local, a team familiar with your area has actually seen the sold homes that will be compared to yours when the appraiser makes his or her evaluation of your home.
Finally, if responsiveness – timely return of your phone calls, emails and text messages – is important to you, test each agent you will be interviewing. Decide which of the three modes of communication you hope your agent will use during the process and reach out via that mode. Time how long it takes for him or her to get back to you.
We believe that when a homeowner is anxiously awaiting the answer to a question or even for an update on progress, responsiveness is important.
We value our clients’ time and we appreciate the trust they place in us. And, we look forward to becoming your partner in the sale of your Silicon Valley home.