A few weeks back I discussed why it is never too early to engage a buyer’s agent to assist with the purchase of real estate.
Now let’s explore the right time to engage a real estate agent when selling a property. Again, it depends on the specific agent and what they do or don’t bring to the table in terms of market knowledge and marketing expertise. Much like the hiring of a buyer’s agent, if someone is truly an expert with a proven track record of selling property in your area, consider consulting with them during your initial conversations about selling. These are just some of the ways that the early engagement of a seller’s agent can make the sales process more efficient and expeditious:
- Relocation: if you are moving to another geographical location, a great agent can liaise with a top agent in your destination city to improve the buying process. (finding a top agent is key)
- Repositioning: an excellent seller’s agent will provide guidance on preparing your home for market to yield the highest price based on your timeline. (paint, cleaning, decluttering, etc)
- Manage expectations: whether selling for the first time or a sophisticated veteran, a savvy sales agent can provide professional insights that many sellers overlook. (contract process, condo or co-op application process, buyer financing, closing date, etc)
- Market analysis: BE CAREFUL HERE and make sure you hire an agent who either knows your property and the market comps extremely well or that they plan to enlist a team of their experienced colleagues to assist with pricing.
- Source of professional referrals: most excellent real estate agents know equally professional attorneys, mortgage brokers, etc. who can further improve your sales experience.
The moral of the story here is that whether buying or selling, consider enlisting the help of a real estate agent the moment the discussions begin. If you hire the right agent, they are sure to be an asset and make the process much more efficient and painless.
