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WHAT HOME SELLERS DON'T KNOW
CAN HURT THEM |
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Why Using a Real Estate
Agent is a Necessity |
Preparing your home for sale, figuring the sale price,
finding a qualified buyer, negotiating, closing and
finally, moving. These are just some of the chores that
will get your head spinning when selling your home. In
today's market, using a real estate agent is almost a
necessity, and getting a licensed agent into the process
early is the first step to a smooth transaction.
Marketing
Home sellers need the know-how of an experienced real
estate agent to get the job done right.Setting the
sales price can be a real balancing act and is not always
easy. If the price is too low, you can lose money; if it's
too high, it can take too long to sell. An experienced
real estate agent can help you balance all of these
factors, including neighboring property values,
improvements you've made, the current housing market and
how soon you need to seal the deal.
As important as setting the right price for your home
is the development of a customized marketing plan. The
marketing plan is what really sets a real estate agent
apart from discount brokers and “for sale by owners,” and
is designed to bring a multitude of potential buyers to
your doorstep.
“The marketing plan shows the real value of using a
full-service real estate agent, Home sellers who try to do
the job on their own don't have as many options. For
instance, they can't list the property with the Multiple
Listing Service, in which the listing is shared with other
real estate agents. Plus, real estate agents become
good matchmakers in connecting the right home with the
right buyer.
Some of the marketing tools savvy real estate agents
use are newspaper ads, Open House events and, of course,
Web site listings.
The Sales Contract
Finding a buyer is only the first part of a real
estate agent's job. Negotiation, from agreeing on a final
price to writing the sales contract, is the next step. The
details of the contract are very important, and if not
handled properly, can put the seller back to square one,
costing time and money.
It's very important that the seller is protected by the
sales contract. The buyer can back out of a contract, or
even worse, sue the seller if the contract isn't prepared
properly. And, extenuating circumstances - such as the
buyer needing to sell their existing home first - can
further complicate the contract process.
Sizing Up The Buyer
An experienced real estate agent can also help you
size up a potential buyer to make sure they are able to go
through with the sale. An experienced real estate agent
may consider mortgage pre-approval, past experience and
the background of the buyer to help you decide if an offer
is solid. This will save you time and may possibly avoid
having to start over in the sales process.
The last thing you need is a buyer who backs out of the
deal before closing. Consider the amount of the buyer's
down payment, the amount they need to borrow and their
ability to qualify for a mortgage. Finding a good buyer is
as important as getting the right price for your home.
Less Headaches
Selling a home can be an emotional experience and
working with a real estate agent can reduce some of the
stress, save valuable time and give you peace of mind that
the agent is taking care of the details.
An ACE Realty Sales Associate can help you
manage the sale of your home through every step of the
process.
This has been provided for informational purposes only.
The views and opinions set forth in this document are not
necessarily the views and opinions of ACE Realty. You
should always consult with your own advisor when dealing
with any of the issues visited herein.
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