How to Choose the Best Listing Agent for Your Needs

If you have decided to sell your home, it could be for any number of reasons.  Perhaps you just need more space for an expanding family or your lifestyle has changed, and your current house just doesn't fit your needs anymore. 

Sometimes, the reason is much more stressful, such as a divorce, death, or unexpected job relocation.  Regardless of your personal reasons for selling, the last thing you need is a high-pressure salesperson or someone who is unprofessional or doesn't understand the current market. 

Our team has represented clients from virtually every walk of life and of varying ages and cultural identities.  We can handle almost anything when it comes to selling your home.  We list and sell properties throughout Austin and most of the surrounding areas.

Am I the right listing agent for you?  Frankly, I am not sure - we haven't met in person yet. 

When you are selecting an agent, make sure you find someone whose personality doesn't grate on you from the beginning. 

Do they bore you to tears during your conversation? 

Believe me, THIS IS A CRITICAL POINT.  Even if an agent has terrific credentials and has sold a lot of homes over the years, they may not make you feel very comfortable or they may be just "phoning it in" (i.e. not trying very hard anymore).  This is a HUGE red flag, because you will be dealing very closely with whomever you choose, so you will want to choose wisely. 

Along the same lines, it's also important to note that this person will be your representative and your "face" to other agents and to any potential buyers throughout the period of time when your home is on the market.  If you don't feel comfortable around the agent, I can assure you that no one else will either.

Also, you want an agent who will tell you the TRUTH about your home, both with regard to the price and the condition.  Many agents just want the listing so badly that they will just go along with whatever price you select, with no regard for the market.  The mentality here is, "I'll just take the listing, then we'll work on getting it reduced later."  This is a huge mistake, since you will end up losing out on the initial buyers who might have seen your home when the price was too high.  Our team is skilled at pricing homes to sell as quickly as possible yet at the maximum market price.  I am not afraid to be honest.

In a competitive real estate market like Austin's has been for a number of years now, you also need a Realtor who will assist you in staging the home to sell.  I have a couple of terrific professional stagers that I can recommend for you. 

Experience counts (I have 11+ years of full-time experience myself), but it is not as important as the level of service that you will receive.  Many experienced agents put their name on the sign, and you will never see or hear from them again.  Instead, you may be dealing exclusively with a team member of theirs.  Ask them.

It doesn't hurt to also find out what the agent's policy is if you are unhappy during the process for whatever reason.  I would rather release someone from a listing agreement than deal with an unhappy client, or a strained and difficult relationship.

To put it simply, there's no magic formula for choosing the best agent.  It's usually a combination of factors that go into the decision making process.  We would love the opportunity to speak with you and/or meet with you if you are considering selling your home in the general Austin area. 

Please feel free to call or email me anytime with questions.  I hope to hear from you soon.  Thanks!

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