5 Secrets Top Selling Agents Will Tell You About Choosing a Listing Agent

There are so many listing agents out there, but which agent is the best fit for both you and your property?

If you asked top selling agents for their best-kept secrets and tips for choosing the right listing agent to hire, they would be able to share key insights to help you find the perfect agent to represent your home sale.

Ask Top Selling Agents: How Should I Choose My Listing Agent?

Here are five best practices from top selling agents to help sellers choose the right listing agent for them.

#1. Know the Qualities of a Great Listing Agent

The best way to approach hiring a real estate agent to represent your listing is to understand the qualities of strong candidates.

Top selling agents always have local experience.

You’ll want to find an agent that knows your market well. The best listing agent to sell your home will be a professional that has years of experience listing homes in your area. This helps them understand subtleties in the market, such as buyer behaviors or transaction norms, that may impact your sale.

Your best agent should excel at marketing, helping to attract potential buyers to your listing.

Top agents should be talented negotiators, allowing them to negotiate any deal in favor of your best interests.

You’ll want to find a great agent that is trustworthy, has great communication practices, and doesn’t take on more deals than they can handle at one time.

#2. Find Someone With Experience Selling Similar Homes

To ensure that the listing agent you hire has a strategy in mind for listing and selling your home, look for a top agent in your area with experience representing properties similar to yours.

For example, if you are selling a six-bedroom luxury home, you’ll want an agent that has worked in that niche market. This allows them to create an informed plan to build your listing and find the right buyer, while also providing insights into potential issues that may arise.

Look for agents that have sold homes with similar amenities, features, and designs when you’re deciding which listing agent to hire.

#3. Ask the Right Interview Questions

All top selling agents will tell you that the interview process is one of the most important steps involved in hiring a listing agent.

The interview gives sellers the opportunity to speak directly with the agent, ask specific questions, and compare the answers provided by each agent against one another.

Come prepared to the interview with a list of strong questions specific to the home sale process, including:

• How do you plan on marketing my home?
• What information will you include on the digital listing?
• How do you prepare homes for buyer tours and open houses?
• Have you obtained any special training or certifications?
• How do you organize your schedule to make time for each of your clients?
  

Ask all of the prospective listing agents the same questions. Write down their answers so you can compare and review them later, helping you come to a final decision.

#4. Always Discuss Commission Before Hiring

Before you decide which agent to hire as your listing representative, always ask them about how they charge for their services.

Sellers should have a clear and specific understanding of how the agent charges and applies the fees for their services. You’ll want to discuss commission percentages and service charges at the interview. Consider the price as another point of comparison when deciding which agent to hire.

Considering the price is especially important for sellers who often pay the commissions for both their own listing agents and the buyer’s agent.

In most cases, sellers pay between 5% and 6% of the property’s final selling price to the listing and buyers’ agents at closing.

#5. Trust Your Intuition

When you’ve completed all of your due diligence comparing potential listing agents, the final decision should be made using your intuition.

Top selling agents will tell sellers to follow their gut when deciding which listing agent to partner with.

You’ll be working alongside this agent for as long as it takes to sell your home, so you’ll want to choose someone that you are comfortable with and get along with well.

If you’re ready to learn more secrets that top selling agents would be able to tell you about the home sale process, find your perfect top agent through Realestateagents.com. Click here to get more real estate advice for both buyers and sellers.