Common Questions When Using A Real Estate Agent To Sell Your Home

21 April 2020
 Categories: Real Estate, Blog

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There are many aspects of selling a home that need to be done right. You will want the home to be sold quickly, at the right price, and to a buyer that is going to come through in the end. This is why it helps to have a real estate agent help with the selling process. If you are hesitant about using real estate services to sell your home, here are some common questions you may have.

How Do You Know If A Real Estate Agent Has The Right Experience? 

Aside from talking to personal references, it can be tough to know if the real estate agent you are considering has the right kind of experience to help sell your home. You will want someone that focuses on residential real estate, with many years of experience selling homes. 

In addition, it helps to have a real estate agent that is focused on the area where you live. You might be inclined to go with a friend's recommendation of an agent they used, but if they live far away, your agent may not know your area as well. This can cause them to price the home incorrectly and not know the market as well. 

How Is Commission Determined?

One reason that many homeowners want to sell their own homes is that they do not want to pay an agent a commission on the sale. However, there is a lot of work that is done to earn that commission, which is work that you otherwise would have to do on your own. 

While the commission is typically based on a percentage of the home's sale price, know that it is always negotiable. You may be able to ask for a flat fee or lower the percentage of how much the agent is willing to take from the sale of the home. If you have a hot home that will sell quickly, it may be worth it to ask for a lower commission since the agent knows that they won't have to do much work to find a buyer. 

How Will Your Home Be Advertised? 

A huge advantage of using a real estate agent is that your home will be advertised. They'll start by listing the home in the MLS so that it shows up in search engines. Real estate agents can even place targeted ads to home buyers online to focus on those that would potentially have an interest. Word of mouth can also be used, since selling agents also work with buyers that are looking for a home themselves.