Why use a real estate agent?

But there many advantages to using a qualified, experienced real estate agent when selling your home or investment property. Here are seven of them: 

 

Agents are professionals when it comes to selling property. It’s what they do all day, every day. That means they know what’s likely to work when it comes to selling your particular property and what might not. 

Agents are bound by professional codes of conduct and local State or Territory legislation to act honestly, fairly and professionally and to use their best efforts to obtain the best possible purchase price for the vendor. So when you employ an agent to sell your home they’re obliged to work in your best interests.  

Knowing the local market is crucial when you’re selling.An agent can expertly assess the value of your home and give you a good indication of what you can realistically expect to get for your prized asset. They can also advise you on whether you’re likely to get the highest price by selling  at auction, by tender or by private treaty. 

They’ll know what your likely buyer looks like - eg whether they’re a mature family, young professional, downsizer and so on - and help you show it in the best light to appeal to them. They’ll give you expert advice on how high you should to set the sale price or the auction reserve. They’ll also answer your questions such as when to sell and explain the pros and cons of asking for - or accepting - pre-auction offers. 

 

You’ll no doubt have done your own research, watched local sales, and have your own opinion but an expert opinion is extremely valuable.  

Experienced agents have lived through many market trends, and seen many more properties than you have. They bring an independent eye. They’ll know where your property sits against the competition, and the obvious strengths and weaknesses to enhance or improve upon in any sales campaign.

 

An agent will market and advertise your property - online, in their shop window, in local press, and by letterbox drops.  They’ll also take care of most of the other things required when selling your home. And the most popular property websites with the highest traffic only accept listings from agents.

An agent will also take away a lot of the hassle, by managing enquiries about your property, coordinating and attending open for inspections, and following up with prospective buyers and warm leads on your behalf.

Marketing and advertising are only part of the equation. Getting the best price is both an art and a science, regardless of whether you’re selling your home by sale, auction or tender.  You have to get the negotiation right - and a good real estate agent is a good negotiator who should be able to facilitate the best price possible for your home. 

A good real estate agent is well connected through the community, knowledgeable about the local area, and generally has a database of warm leads - people who may be looking for a home just like yours, even if they’re not actively trawling online listings. In other words, they have access to the hidden market of prospective buyers, as well as the visible one.  

But they also have other contacts on their books, not just buyers, who can come in handy. Need the letter box and front fence fixed before you sell? Chances are they can recommend a few people to quote. Need home staging, to hire furniture, or an interior designer’s opinion? They’ll know someone. And an agent can often suggest reliable contacts for conveyancing, legal and financial services. If you’re selling you’re probably also looking to buy. They can give you tips for this too.

Finally agents can take a lot of the pain of selling your home away, by guiding you through the complexities of the sales process and all its ins and outs. From early preparations to facilitating the actual sale of your property and exchanging contracts. Using an agent takes away a layer of stress. You don’t have to deal directly with the purchaser. You also have legal protection.

Finally, a good real estate agent is worth more than their commission fee. They should save you time, stress and money and get you the best sale price for your prized asset.

Agent Select is a free and independent service that helps consumers select the best performing real estate agent, and negotiate the best terms to sell their property, anywhere in Australia. Agent Select’s three step process provides you with a property report, compares sales proposals from three local agents in a customised Agent Comparison Report, and gives you complete freedom to appoint your chosen agent to sell your property with confidence.

 Find out more at AgentSelect.com.au or call 1300 040 463.