How to Find an Expert Realtor to Sell Your Home

homebuyers-experience

We have all heard the saying, “Home is where the heart is”. Your home is a place you lived and loved, laughed and cried, and everyone in your family has made new friends. When it’s time to put your home on the market, you will likely experience some sadness. Choose a realtor who understands your goals, fits your personality, and can get your home sold for top dollar. Selling your home can be an emotional and stressful experience, but Wenzel Select Properties is here to help.

What Can a Realtor Do for You?

Before you start interviewing prospective real estate agents, you should have a clear sense of what you want to get out of the selling process. It’s crucial to know what your goals are so that you can find an agent who really speaks to them.

Then, it helps to understand what a real estate agent does. Your real estate agent will:

• Work with you to price your home
• Market your home (photos, virtual tours, social media, staging — the works)
• Negotiate with home buyers
• Usher the home sale through inspection and closing

And more . . .

Expert Realtor to Sell Your HomePricing your home. How do I set the price? The short answer is you’ll need to trust your real estate agent to recommend a listing price.

So how can you tell whether an agent is choosing the best price for your home? You need to do two things:

1. Know approximately what your property is worth. Do your own research on the prices of homes in your area. Show your information to your agent for an informed perspective.

2. Ask the agent for pricing information on homes he or she has recently sold. Specifically, what the differences were between their listing prices and how much the homes ultimately sold for.

When it comes to the agent’s pricing history, you’re looking for accuracy. Anyone could suggest a high price for your home, knowing it’s what you’d like to hear. But nobody wants to have a house languish on the market or to reduce a price repeatedly.

Marketing your home. Your real estate agent will also get the word out that your house is on the market, using a combination of marketing techniques — such as direct mail, signage, open houses, website, and social media. Savvy agents will post pics of your house on Instagram, Facebook, and any other platform that can get likes plus the attention of other real estate agents who can bring buyers to the table. They will also create a virtual tour of your home.

Negotiating with buyers. When offers start coming in, your realtor will negotiate with prospective buyers on not only the sale price but also on what contingencies are attached to the contract. As with any negotiation, there could be some stressful, fraught moments with the buyers. You’ll want an agent who can step up for you, and who has a negotiation style that you’re comfortable with.

Closing the sale. Once you’ve signed a purchase agreement with a buyer, your agent will help you navigate the sale’s remaining steps. This includes negotiating home repair requests post-inspection and dealing with any last-minute surprises before closing.

The average realtor does all of the above. An expert realtor does all of the above, while also inspiring your confidence — that they’re getting the best price for you, and that they’re representing you and your home in the best possible light.

Ask These Questions to Find an Expert Realtor in Your Area

Have a plan to hire a realtor six to eight weeks — before your house is listed on the market. You’ll be grateful for the cushion, especially if the realtor recommends that you make repairs or upgrades to your home before it’s listed.

To find prospective real estate agents, start with your network. Ask friends, relatives, neighbors, and colleagues for recommendations. Word-of-mouth endorsements, as always, can be priceless.

You can also search the internet. Real estate companies and real estate agents have their own websites to help market listings. Property websites such as realtor.com® have directories that let you search for agents in your area. These databases can clue you into important details, such as an agent’s years of experience, the number of homes sold, and past client reviews.

Three out of four home sellers only contact one candidate before picking their listing agent, according to a NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® report. While that may be the norm, it’s smarter to shop around. Interview at least three agents before deciding on the one you want to work with.

During the interviews, ask these questions to help assess whether an agent is the right fit for you:

• Do you work as an agent full-time?
• How long have you been in the business?
• How many homes have you sold in my neighborhood in the past year?
• What’s the typical price range of homes you sell?
• What’s your fee?
• How will you market my home?
• Will I be working with you directly, or with a team?
• Will you provide one-on-one service?
• How long on average are your listings on market? Your average sold-to-list price?

It’s in your best interest to pick a realtor who understands your goals, fits your personality, and can get your home sold for top dollar. When you meet someone who can offer all of the above, you will have an expert realtor.

 

Wenzel Select Properties’ team of realtors offers expert real estate assistance tailored to meet its customer’s unique needs. Whether you’re buying, selling, or renting a home, we thrive on finding the real estate solution that fits you best. Our real estate agents excel at providing our clients with personalized support throughout the entire real estate experience. Whether you are looking to sell a one-bedroom condo in the heart of downtown Chicago or purchase a single-family home in the suburbs, Wenzel Select Properties looks forward to offering you superior real estate expertise and unparalleled customer service.

The future home of Wenzel Select Properties is located at  4941 Main Street in Downers Grove, Illinois. Our real estate office is in the heart of downtown Downers Grove. We are just minutes away from Interstates 88, 355, 55, 290, and 294. Wenzel Select Properties real estate brokers are available to meet with you 7 days a week – Monday through Sunday. You can call us for an appointment at (630) 430-4790.