HOW TO TELL IF YOU HIRED A GOOD REAL ESTATE AGENT OR A BAD ONE

You are selling your house and you hired a real estate agent to help you.  Is there something else you need to do or do you let the agent take over the reins?

Choosing your real estate agent is the first step to selling your home.  However, you also need to ensure that he is making all the right moves to successfully sell your house.

You can find out if your real estate agent is walking the talk and is doing what he promised during your initial meeting.

The Job of a Good Real Estate Agent

When you enlist the services of a real estate agent, you benefit from the expertise of an experienced professional but also from the protection of the Real Estate Brokerage Act.

As a real estate professional, your agent will devote his time and effort to selling your property.  In the brokerage contract, a realistic asking price set with your agent’s help must be included as well as the amount and terms of the agent’s commission.

Your real estate agent is doing his job if:

• He communicates with you on a regular basis
• He is direct and straight-forward with you
• Advertises your property extensively
• Tirelessly follows- up on leads
• Works to sell your property at the best price

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Your agent should make you feel you are important.  While he may have other properties to sell, your home should just as important as other properties in his listing.

Regular and Timely Communication

Do you need to contact your real estate agent to know about the progress of your project?  A good agent doesn’t have to call you daily but you should get at least a weekly update.

If your property isn’t getting a lot of attention, there should be a reason.  The real estate agent should discuss with you any issues related to why your house isn’t attracting the right attention.  Perhaps the selling price is too high, or it needs some fixes.  Whatever the reason, your agent needs to keep you informed and work with you to change the situation.

The Ups and Downs of Selling a Property

Selling your house will be stressful and may be full of ups and downs.

You just have to put your most important asset on the selling block, a place where you probably have built many of your cherished memories.  You will also be getting feedback from your agent, some of which may not be to your liking. The wait for the right buyer to bite can be agonizing.

You’ll need to do your fair share in selling your house as quickly as possible.  Make it ready for showing by keeping it clean and tidy at all times.

Don’t be sensitive to feedback as buyers will often criticize the property.  Not everyone has the same taste so it is best to “de-personalize” your home so that it will appeal to a larger audience.

How Long Should It Take to Sell Your House?

Everyone selling a property wants it done in 24 hours, or as soon as the “For Sale” sign is displayed.  But the truth is that some homes don’t sell that quickly and you will need to exercise the virtue of patience.

There are a number of factors that affect the time it takes to sell a house.

Market Demand

Most buyers look for specific things in a property they are looking to buy.  Depending on your property and whether it appeals to a large audience, it may take a short time or a long time to sell.

Selling Price

The listing price can either draw in or turn off potential buyers.  You need to offer a competitive price to attract home shoppers.  Find out how other properties in your area are listed and determine the best price for your condo or house.

Delays in Sale

The average time of sale for properties (houses, condos and plex) in Montreal is 102 days, in Quebec 158 days, in Sherbrooke 131 days, in Gatineau 94 days, in Trois-Rivières  107, and in Saguenay 160 days.  You may need to add a few more weeks for the overall transition period.

Keep in mind that the time of sale can vary depending on the type of property, the price range, and from one area to another.

Commitment to Selling

It is important to understand how much time and effort must be devoted to selling the property.  These include preparing the house to put in on the market, showing the property to interested parties, and negotiating and finalizing the sale.

Most real estate agents have websites for advertising homes for sale and also use common platforms like Centris and Realtor.  Without an aggressive and effective online marketing strategy, your property will be invisible to a huge segment of the market.

The secret to successfully selling your house is to make it as desirable as possible to many buyers and to get maximum visibility with effective real estate marketing strategies.

Can you switch to another real estate agent?

If you feel your real estate agent is not doing his best to sell your house, can you cancel your listing agreement?

It is important to read the fine print before you sign up a real estate agent.  In the agreement, the listing period will be indicated, and you are bound to the period you agreed upon.

Before signing the listing agreement, you should negotiate any aspect you are not comfortable with.  60 days can be sufficient to evaluating if you have a reliable real estate agent working by your side.

If the 60 days has passed, you have the option of cancelling your agreement. You may compare 3 real estate agents in your area to sell your property at the best price.