Why Should You Hire a Listing Agent to Sell Your Home?

Should you hire a listing agent to sell your home? Yes, most definitely! While 90% of sellers use a listing agent, some give in to temptation and don’t. Pocketing the 5%-8% real estate agent commission may seem like a good idea, but it isn’t. Here’s why: There’s absolutely no substitute for a skilled listing agent. A good listing agent will save you time, money and a lot of headache.

It’s important to note that not just any listing agent will do. A good listing agent will know about neighborhood schools, commute times and “items of community business” that many may not know about, such as a proposed solid-waste transfer station, for example. Compare the listing agent you are looking to hire with the following checklist:

• Has over 5 years of experience in real estate
• Is likeable and has a personality that matches your needs
• Knows how to stay on top of the process of selling your home from listing to closing
• Is a skilled negotiator
• Will look after your financial well-being
• Is trustworthy and reliable
• Listens carefully and pays close attention to your priorities
• Is licensed by the State of Texas
• Is a real estate agent full-time
• Belongs to the National Association of Realtors
• Knows current market trends

A listing agent’s main responsibilities are to help you determine the best listing price that meets your goals and get buyers to and through your front door. A good listing agent must also:

• Represent you well with buyers, buyers’ agents and service providers
• Keep up with daily changes in the housing market, market trends, comparable home sales and competing listings in your neighborhood
• Create a custom marketing plan that will aggressively promote your listing 24/7.
• Make use of high quality photos for both online and print marketing, gives home staging suggestions, minor repair and improvement suggestions, showings and open to grab buyers’ attention
• Screen potential homebuyers so that you deal only with buyers who are seriously considering purchasing your home
• Analyze offers and negotiate counter-offers that come in on your home
• Keep track of the closing paperwork and walk you through the closing process step-by-step
• Recommend quality service providers to work with you in the sale of your listing

Selling a home takes time. It takes skill. There are many decisions that must be made when selling a home. Many of those decisions will determine the amount of profit you receive and how long your house is on the market. Save yourself time, money and headache. Hire Andrew Pikoff. He knows real estate. He will research, market and negotiate on your behalf to help you sell your home and meet your goals.