Top tips for selecting the right sales agent
By Donie Collins, Director of DMC Property Advisory
Selling your property is an important and valuable milestone and having the right sales agent by your side can make or break both your experience and the result.
Whether you’re planning to sell your investment property or a beloved family home, there is so much to gain from choosing well – great agents positively impact the entire property selling process.
Here are my top tips to engaging the right real estate agent for you and your property:
1. Research
Research the local market and become familiar with the local agents and the properties they have currently listed and more importantly their sales performance over the past 12 months.
2. Shortlist
I would shortlist three agents. It is important to shortlist the top performing agents and agencies whom are local suburb specialists. Make sure that they are property and market specialists and their niche market is your asset’s market.
3. Interview
Interview the agents and become familiar with their business, personality, punctuality and approach. People like to do business with people they like and trust and this is where the repour is built and is the key. When I offer this service to clients, it is paramount to align the client to the appropriate agent as they will need to gel and communicate efficiently throughout the sales process.
4. Request an appraisal and discuss the agent’s fees
It’s in your best interests to request an appraisal from two or three agents you’re considering working with. This will help you understand the market value of your property, from their perspective. Cross reference this with your earlier research on what the recent comparable sales are in your area.
Once you’ve honed in on your top candidates, you may then request the agents put together their selling strategy for you by way of an inspection report and agency agreement. This will enable you to see how they plan to sell and market your specific property.
The document usually includes a property valuation, the listing price they’d suggest and why, what marketing mix is recommended, transparency around costings and whether or not they suggest auction or private treaty.
5. Time to list with your trusted sales agent and put the property on the market
Throughout the whole sales process – communication is the key component between both vendor and the agent to achieve the most satisfactory outcome.
Donie Collins is the Director of DMC Property Advisory and holds a Degree in Real Estate and Valuations. He is a Licensed real estate agent across multiple states of Australia and has over 20 years’ experience in the property industry.
Reach out to Donie to discuss the sale of your property and experience the benefits that this service has to offer first hand.
