Selling Property

Evaluating Estate Agents

Step 1.

Invite local estate agents to visit your home and give you a listing presentation, which typically includes: the reasons you should join their agency, their duties to you as your agent and helpful information about pricing and selling your home.

Step 2.

Single out those estate agents who:

• Provide you with advice how to best prepare your home for the market;
• Show enthusiasm for your property, listens attentively, instill confidence, operate in a professional manner, and have a complementary personality style to yours.
• Have already researched your property in the public records.
• Bring data on nearby homes that have sold (or failed to sell) recently.

Step 3.

Get the answers to certain key questions:

• Does the estate agent have the relevant estate agency qualifications?
• Is the estate agent a member of NAEA with its strict code of ethics?
• Is estate agency their full-time career?
• What estate qualifications does the agent hold?
• Who is the estate agent representing--you or the buyer? The discussion is supposed to occur early on, at "first interview" with you.
• In exchange for your commitment, how will the estate agent help you sell your home?
• Has the estate agent listed or sold a home in your immediate area lately?

Step 4.

Sign a listing agreement with the estate agent that you select, but pay particular attention any contractual time frames.

Many estate agents run a "no sale no fee" scheme, which apart from benefiting the seller if the property remains unsold is an added incentive for your agent to market the property successfully.

When you enter into a marketing agreement with any Estate Agents, it's your agreement, subject to your satisfaction.