Selling Your Home
The majority of home sellers enlist a real estate agent to market their homes. They feel it is better to entrust the sale to a professional rather than attempting to sell themselves through trial and error. Many people would rather use an agent due to the complexities of real estate transactions since they involve legal and financial issues.
Some of the other advantages of working with an agent include access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) so the house is marketed to large numbers of buyers, the fact that the agent absorbs advertising and marketing costs, and the screening of potential buyers by agents. An agent also handles the details of negotiation and helps coordinate the transaction from the time a contract is signed through closing and funding.
What to look for in an agent:
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Experience
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Professionalism
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Commitment to the profession
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Knowledge of your area
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Knowledge of your price range
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Advertising and marketing ability
Questions to ask a prospective agent:
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How long have you been in the real estate business?
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Are you a full-time agent?
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Are you a member of the MLS?
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How familiar are you with the area where our home is located?
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How did you arrive at the suggested listing price?
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What will you do to market our home?
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How will you keep us informed of progress?