Working With An Agent Category

In every town there are homes that sell rather quickly, while others linger on the market. Real estate professionals suggest numerous approaches to maximizing a home’s curb appeal — everything from fresh paint to new landscaping. But if the “For Sale” sign in front of your house has become a neighborhood fixture, it is important to work with your real estate agent to keep your listing fresh.

Whenever your house is shown, the real estate agent will get feedback from the buyers or other agents about what they liked about your house and what did not work for them. Allow your agent to be completely frank with you about any feedback he or she receives. Listen with an open mind and with the understanding that there is nothing personal about these comments. Don’t delay in implementing any of the ideas that make sense to you.

Your real estate agent’s job is to come up with new ideas for marketing your home in order to get buyers inside. Your job is to ensure that your house looks its best.

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The beginning of negotiations is usually the end of many months of hard work for the buyer or seller. The work ahead requires skill in order to maintain a strong position.

Sellers can lose their advantage if they do not counter an offer that a buyer has made. Even if the opening offer is beneath what the seller feels is reasonable, it is advisable for the seller to respond with a slight reduction from the asking price. The most important component in negotiating is good communication.

The best way to handle a low offer is to counter it with definite terms that are favorable to the seller. A counter offer has two advantages: 1) it keeps the buyer interested, and 2) it moves the negotiation forward and gives the buyer the opportunity to submit another offer that the seller is more likely to prefer.

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You leave the closing feeling really good about the way your agent handled the sale of your home. It was priced well, and by following your real estate agent’s advice on how to show your home to its best advantage, you sold it quickly. The agent followed up with the lender and the appraiser to make sure that everything went smoothly and that small problems didn’t become big ones. You had heard stories from friends about their stressful moves, and you are relieved and happy that you were spared any serious mix-ups. How do you say “Thanks for a job well done” to your agent?

Real estate agents depend on referrals for a big part of their business. An agent who has served you well will probably do a professional job for your friends or colleagues. The nicest thing you can do for a good real estate agent is to pass their name on to prospective buyers or sellers.

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Making a move gets high marks on the stress scale, whether you are buying or selling a home. Not only is there a lot of money involved, there is also lot that can go wrong in a real estate transaction.

A professional real estate agent works to minimize the stress involved in the process and to make your closing as smooth as possible. The agent will monitor the progress of the loan application and check on the paperwork. He or she will remind the sellers about any repairs that need to be made before the closing and will assist both parties in coordinating the closing and their moves. The real estate agent will also help ensure a smooth transition by reminding the sellers to arrange for final utility readings and the buyers to set up new utility account.

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When you list your house with a real estate agent who participates in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), you get a lot of service for your money. Depending upon the MLS region, there may be hundreds of participating members.

The real estate agent who lists your home works to get it sold. This is done by marketing directly to home buyers, but an even more powerful tool is marketing your home to other agents who have buyers. Your real estate agent makes all the crucial information about your home available to the other members through the MLS, such as location, size, the number of rooms, the style of architecture, what personal property is included, and any other special features. The MLS description will also contain information about any special financing that might be available, showing instructions, and special needs you may have with respect to closing. It is a powerful tool for real estate matchmakers.

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Many changes can occur in a real estate transaction between the initial meeting of the minds and the completion of the sale. This is where having a professional to handle the sale of your home makes a big difference.

Real estate professionals view such changes as challenges, rather than problems. Many potential problems are predictable, but their consequences can be minimized by anticipating them. Real estate agents draw on their experience and the experience of their colleagues to ensure a successful closing for the buyers and sellers. When disputes arise, our expertise helps to create a win-win situation. This approach to selling real estate makes the difference for my buyers and sellers. I go the extra mile to handle the countless details and to keep my buyers and sellers informed at each step of the transaction.

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Which party in a real estate transaction is represented by the real estate agent–the buyer or the seller? Until recently that question was never asked because the answer was always the same. Traditionally all the marketing professionals involved in real estate transactions were legally and ethically obligated to conduct business on behalf of the seller. They may have aided the buyer in certain situations, but their client was the seller. Today that is not necessarily the case.

In a time of increasing specialization, buyers can be represented by a real estate agent who functions solely as a buyer’s broker. In this case, the sales professional helps the buyer locate a home, negotiate the price, and is responsible to the buyer only, for an agreed-upon fee or a percentage commission.

In any real estate transaction you have the right to know which party the real estate agent is representing.

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It takes time for real estate agents to build a business. Since a lot of our success depends on referrals from satisfied buyers or sellers, we work hard to exceed your expectations for service.

If a real estate agent has done a superb job of selling your house or finding you a new one, the best way to say “thank you” is to give that person’s name (and phone number!) to anyone you know who is considering a move. You are not only doing the agent a favor, you are also directing your friends to a competent, knowledgeable and experienced salesperson. Buying a house or condo can be a little scary if you don’t have a strong professional guiding you through the process. Real estate agents try extra hard to please referrals of friends or pleased customers. We are in the business for the long term and prosper by giving consistently high quality service.

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How do real estate agents sell homes? When a professional real estate agent is retained to sell a home, the agent will develop a marketing plan that has proven effective for selling homes quickly and for the maximum sale price.

The real estate agent will perform a market analysis, comparing the home with similar homes in your neighborhood that have recently sold. Your agent will evaluate the current real estate market in order to develop a price opinion for your home. The next step will be to make recommendations about preparing your home so that it is presented to its best advantage. A description of the home will be uploaded into the local Multiple Listing Service, and your agent will implement a marketing plan tailored to your home.

By listing your property, you expose it to thousands of real estate agents throughout the region. MLS exposure is one of the most valuable services a real estate agent can provide sellers. Real estate professionals aslo network with other agents in their office when they bring new listings to the market. Does this system work? 85% of the homes sold today use this method. Enough said!

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Real estate agents begin their professional relationship with buyers by asking numerous questions about the buyer’s personal and financial situation. The answers to these questions will give the real estate agent a clear idea about the buyer’s housing needs and price range. It is a waste of time for an agent to show a buyer homes they can’t afford, and it can be disheartening to consider unrealistic possibilities.

In order to do a great job finding you a home, your real estate agent needs to have some basic information about your income, debts, and the amount of cash you have available for a purchase. Your agent also needs to know something about your lifestyle. How large is your family? Where do you work? Do you have school-age children? Do you enjoy entertaining? What hobbies would you like to accommodate?

The real estate agent who helps you find your new home will get to know you very well, so it is very important that you feel comfortable with that person and free to communicate openly.

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