How-To Guide for Sellers: Tips on Hiring the BEST Real Estate Team
How-To: Tips on Hiring the BEST Real Estate Team
Have you made the decision to sell your home? Congratulations! That is the first step in the process, but what comes next? If this is where you’re stuck, then keep reading! No matter the current condition of the market, you’re going to need an excellent real estate team. You may be wondering why we keep using the term “team” and we’d like to answer that with a question – why hire a solo agent when you could have the support and knowledge of an entire team? Often real estate teams are broken down into roles. Teams most commonly consist of a listing agent, a buyer’s agent, a team leader, a transaction coordinator, and an executive assistant/listing manager. Together, a team can ensure the process of listing of your home goes as smoothly as possible. There are many moving parts that come into play when putting your home on the market and a full-time real estate team covers every aspect from marketing to close. With that said, here are some helpful tips on how to hire the best real estate team!
1. Interview at least 3 teams
Statistics show that most people hire the first agent they talk to. That can be a costly mistake as all agents and teams are not created equal. Be sure you take the time to meet with at least three different agents, make sure they are a local real estate team, and ask a lot of questions.
2. Interview them at their office
Seeing their office will give you an idea of the agent’s professionalism as well as their company’s. This option also allows you the opportunity to meet their staff; listing coordinators, buyer’s agents, transaction coordinators, and anyone else you may deal with in the course of your transaction. Many sellers interview agents in their own home because it’s convenient and it makes sense that the agent should see their home. And it does, but that can be done once you’ve narrowed down your list of who to hire.
3. Make sure you see the team’s actual marketing plan!
This is the most important step. The team you hire MUST have a plan on how they will sell your home. How are they going to get the word out that your home is for sale? Hopefully it will include more than putting a sign in the ground, posting it in the MLS, and praying it sells! For instance, our team designs and develops custom marketing plans for each of our sellers, because we know that each home is unique and requires specificity to attract buyers. The team you choose should equip your listing with maximum exposure advertising, a current market analysis, and special programs so that you are set apart from the rest of the market.
4. Determine the team’s area expertise
If you have a home for sale, your agent should know the surrounding area. Ask your agent about the local market in your location. Can they tell you what’s selling and has recently sold? And if you live in a specific neighborhood your agent should know that neighborhood and be able to show you comparable homes that are either on the market (current competition) or have sold (indicator of what your home will likely sell for) in the last 6 months. The agent should also know about the region in general, including school districts and local businesses. Many buyers come from out of the area – especially with our military bases so close and the number of tech industries in the area– and your agent should be able sell those out of town buyers on why your city is such an amazing place to put down roots.
To summarize, interview at least 3 local real estate agents, see their place of business, review their marketing plan and know their area knowledge. We hope this helps! Make sure to check out our other blog posts for tips on how to prep your home for listing photos and staging!
-Sarah Robbins
Sarah Robbins and Associates
253-470-8163
33434 8th Ave S
Federal Way WA 98003
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