How to find the right agent to sell your property

If you’ve made the decision to downsize, before you put your home on the market it might be a good idea to first make sure you’ve found the right agent for you. After all, the goal is to find an agent who will get the best possible price, in the best possible way — ideally in a timely manner.

Here are a few tips to help you find the right agent for your situation.

Do your research

Just as you would research the state of the property market in your area, it’s a wise idea to do some research about potential agents before listing with them. Platforms such as Agent Select allow you to compare agents in your area, based on fees and experience.

“Do your research and check out what agents are within the area you’re selling,” Adrian Kelly, president of Real Estate Institute of Australia says. “Find out their history. Have they sold many properties lately? Ask neighbours and friends who may have had experiences with real estate agents in your area.”

Find a local

When selling your home, it makes sense to work with someone who knows the area well. There’s no point listing your home with an agent who is unfamiliar with your suburb because they won’t be able to answer your queries about the sale, like if it’s a good time to put your home up for sale. By the same token, they will be aware of the other properties listed in your area so you know whether there will be any competition. They’ll also be able to any questions that potential buyers may have about what the suburb has to offer.

“Having someone who knows your area and the price point for your property is important to ensure it’s not underpriced so that you lose out on important dollars, or overpriced and your property goes stale on the market and doesn’t sell,” Kelly says. “Make sure they know your local area and can give you an accurate snapshot of how the market has performed and will perform while your property is on the market.”

Watch them in action

Once you’ve made a shortlist of potential agents in your local area, track down where they’re next open house inspection is and pop in and watch them in action. Take notice of how they communicate with potential buyers and how they present themselves and the home. This is an insight into how they will sell your home, so take note of the following:

• Their behaviour. Weer they welcoming to all potential buyers, standing at the door and greeting them all individually?
• Were they on time? Is the home presented well?
• Are they able to answer all of your questions about the property?
• Did they make a follow-up call with you after attending the inspection?
• Is their communication style one that you’re comfortable with? Are they too pushy or not pushy enough?

It’s also a good idea to take notice of how they have advertised the property. Is the marketing in line with the way you would like your own home to be listed?

Listen to your gut

There’s a lot to be said for how comfortable you feel around an agent. If you don’t feel like you can trust the agent, why would you trust them with the important task of selling your home? Go with your gut feeling — did they make a good first impression? Were they friendly and approachable? Did you find them helpful?

“Make sure you are comfortable with their approach,” Kelly says. “Be honest with your potential real estate agent, let them know what you are expecting for their commission and that will make it easier for them to tailor a sales plan for your house.”