Is your agent in your corner?
When it comes to selling your home, selecting the right agent makes all the difference. Ideally, this agent won’t just sell your home, but ‘have your back’ at every possible opportunity.
They will guide you with expertise and advice, negotiate on your behalf, openly communicate, offer constructive feedback, and support you every step of the way during the selling process.
In other words, they should be the trusted professional who is in your corner and will leave no stone unturned when it comes to achieving your property goals.
So what should you be looking for to ensure you have an agent who will not just sell your property but have your back along the way?
Proven track record
The search for an agent who will get you the results you want starts by looking for people with a proven track record.
In some cases you might have an agent you’ve used before who delivered outstanding service and results. Perhaps you’ve noticed some specific agents’ names popping up regularly in your area.
In other instances, you might need to start that search afresh by determining who the agents are who have achieved good results with similar properties.
And there are a couple of ways to do this:
- Seek advice and referrals from family and friends
- Look online to make a shortlist of agents and agencies who are prominent in your area
A trusted reputation
One of the best ways to determine an agent’s track record is by looking at what previous clients say about them.
Once you have a shortlist of agents who you’re considering to represent you and your property, look at their reviews on Google, Rate My Agent and the real estate portals.
What words are used to describe them and what’s their star rating like?
Ideally, past and present buyers and sellers will use words like ‘trustworthy’, ‘friendly’, ‘professional’ etc and will provide an explanation of what their experience was like.
Local area expert
The agent you select should be a local area expert. They should know recent sales in your suburb and why those properties achieved that price.
When you speak with them, they should also be able to provide examples of sales they have achieved for properties that are similar to yours.
Meet them in person
Once you have a shortlist of potential agents, meet with them in person to get a feel for who they are and the service they offer.
This can be as simple as asking for an appraisal or inviting them to come to your home to outline their services and sales approach.
This in-person meeting is often the best way to determine whether this is the agent for you and involves considering whether they:
- Are interested in the outcome you’re looking to achieve
- Align with your goals and preferred sales strategy
- Have the experience and market knowledge needed to sell your home
- Are clear about how they would market and sell your property
Someone you can work with
Ultimately, selling a property involves establishing a good working relationship between the vendor and the agent.
This is a relationship based on trust, where the agent is ‘entrusted’ with handling what’s likely to be your greatest financial asset.
So ask yourself when you meet them:
- Is this someone I can work with?
- Are they open in their communication?
- Will they tell me the hard truth if it’s required?
- Are they invested in achieving the outcome I want?
- Do they seem to care about me personally?
Your agent should be in your corner
Regardless of whether this is your first property sale or your 50th, the agent you select should be firmly in your corner.
They should understand your goals, be committed to acting on your behalf and willing to guide you through every step of the property journey.
They should be a trusted professional who has your back at every opportunity. Why? Because when you’re selling such an important asset, you deserve nothing less.
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