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HOW
TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU LIST AGAIN!
Compliments of: Linda
Christianson
Your listing has expired and now you’re
wondering what to do. The most important question you must ask is,
“Where did I go wrong?” The answer is not usually within you, but with
the agent you entrusted. Be prepared with the right information so you
can interview your prospective agent with confidence and assure you make
the right choice this time.
With hundreds or even thousands of
dollars at stake and weeks of time invested, don’t risk making the same
mistake twice. Make sure your next agent is eminently qualified to sell
your home. Don’t risk this decision out of obligation to a friend,
family member or acquaintance. Your listing has expired and it’s easy
to develop the identity of having a problem property in the market
place. Therefore, it’s vital important to choose the right agent this
time around.
Typically, most people will ask
business associates, family or friends to recommend someone they’ve had
good luck with... someone they can trust. Other sellers will watch
neighborhood real estate signs to see who is listing many of the homes.
Still others rely upon the reputation of the major national franchise
companies. Then, of course, there’s always the yellow pages. All
of these methods could prove to be disastrous!
Trust Your
Instincts First!
When selecting an agent, he or she should be someone you feel good
about, someone you’re willing to trust with one of the largest financial
transactions you may ever make. This report is designed to empower you
with the information necessary to make the right decision before you
arrive at the place where you’re ready to sign on the dotted line
again. Don’t allow the prospective agent to dictate your time table.
If an agent is impatient you should immediately consider them suspect.
Be careful.
Do Your Homework!
Ask For References From Past Sellers - Before
you sign another listing agreement, check out references from past
sellers. Flattering letters praising the agent’s work in a presentation
book are a great start, but dig deeper. Ask for telephone numbers and
names of the past three sellers and names of at least two current
listings.
Know The Companies Reputation -
Ask your business associates, family and
friends about the company or agent and listen carefully for the very
first thing they say. A company has a reputation in the community.
Listen closely for it!
Call The Real Estate Commission
- Call and ask about consumer
complaints. Be sure and take note of the number and nature but don’t
base your entire decision on this information. In a slow or declining
market, agents will get more complaints because the sellers are
frustrated that their home isn’t moving and they want someone to blame
when it’s simply poor market conditions. Therefore, always allow your
prospective agent to explain any complaints and if their response seems
reasonable, take that into consideration. One other note: if an agent
does a large number of transactions per year, they will naturally be
exposed to the potential for more of these kinds of comments. If an
agent isn’t doing anything, they obviously won’t generate a
complaint.
Call The Better Business Bureau -
See if the agent has had any bad dealings with his or her customers.
Ask For A Record Of The Agent’s
Marketing Innovations -
How are they dealing with the current market conditions? Is there a
plan to beef up their advertising and marketing efforts to benefit the
seller? Residential real estate has a long history of economic cycles.
The market is either hot, improving, static or declining and with each
cycle there has to be a plan to cope with the current market conditions.
Don’t Stop
Asking!
Ask for a comparison chart of
last year’s sales to this year’s sales. How is the agent and company
doing? Ask for a history of the agent; how many companies have they
been with and why did they change? If the reason is always money there
may be something wrong! Be careful because if your agent changes,
companies your listing belongs to the broker and you may get a new
inexperienced agent as your replacement... this could be very costly!
Final Questions
Ask For A Detailed Marketing Plan –
Request a step-by-step plan of the first
four weeks, eight weeks and twelve weeks your home will be on the
market. Make sure your agent is utilizing the latest innovative
technologies for generating sales leads. There are now ways to
literally generate leads 24 hours a day! These new marketing tools will
help sell your home faster and for more money!
Define Planning Times -
Establish a time with your agent to go over the marketing results within
the first 15 days. Ask for all showings and feedback from other
agents. Help the agent understand that any news is good news because it
can help you make adjustments in your marketing plan.
If you follow these suggestions
you’re sure to avoid the mistakes of the past. Make sure you’re dealing
with a competent professional... making the right choice is worth
thousands of dollars and a great sense of “peace of mind.”
If you would like more
information, or copies of my other reports published on topics such as
“Which Mortgage Do I Choose?” or “How to Buy your First Home…the Easy
Way!” feel free to contact me at Edina Realty. 218-825-3610 or
800-250-9701.
Ext. # 5098
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