How to Select a Real Estate Agent

Are you thinking about selling your house. One of the most important parts of the process is hiring the right listing agent. The real estate agent is important to the process, for reasons that are not always apparent.

Several years ago, I was in real estate sales, but left the field for health reasons. Following is my perspective on how to find a good listing agent.

Many people object the the fees charged by the real estate listing company. Admittedly, the fee is a sizable amount on money. However the fee is usually recovered in the higher sale price that the real estate company is able to sell your house for.

Real estate sales is about so much more than putting a sign in the yard, an ad in the paper, or holding an open house. Those are sales activities that you can see. What the real estate sales agents know, though, is that these activities may get visibility for your listing, but they are not what sells the house. Occasionally a seller can stick a sign in the yard and the right buyer will come by, especially in a very active, hot market. However, the For Sale by Owner success stories are not that common.

Most motivated buyers use the services of a real estate sales agent to pre screen the properties, so that they know that when they view a property it is in their prices range and has the amenities that the buyer is looking for.