Hiring the right agent to sell your property is crucial.
Hiring a bad agent costs a lot more than just their selling fee. Great care should be taken when deciding which agent to trust.
In Australia, thousands of property owner dollars vanish every day through unnecessary and expensive advertising, poor pricing tactics, even poorer negotiation skill of their agent and the wrong method of sale.
Sign a listing agreement with a bad agent and you may be stuck with them for what can seem like an eternity. Many agents promise much and deliver little.
Under an exclusive listing agreement, terminating the services of an agent is to say the least extremely difficult. In the wrong hands, an exclusive agreement is indeed a dangerous document to sign.
Avoiding a bad agreement can often simply come down to trust. If you don’t trust an agent, definitely don’t hire them.
Moreover, be careful about hiring an agent based on sale price estimate and fee – this rarely works out well. Interview agents to discover if they have demonstrable systems and skills.
Ask the agent to provide written evidence of strong negotiation skills. An agent should be able to demonstrate the negotiation skills with proof, not just by talking a good game.
Get real reviews and feedback from current and previous sellers of the agent – ask them for a list of references, after all, you’re hiring them for a job and for all jobs a candidate must provide a list of references. Ensure an agent offers a dismissal guarantee.
If you are unhappy with the agent, allow them seven days to resolve the problem. If it remains unresolved, dismiss the agent immediately. At Goulburn First National Real Estate we offer a guarantee and are happy to provide this to you as an example.
Above all, great agents will charge nothing until a property is sold and settled and you are happy with the outcome.
This article is an excerpt from “Real Estate’s Greatest Dangers – How to Avoid Them Through Smart Decisions” written by Andrew Trim – Managing Director of the Johnson Real Estate group.
To receive a free copy of “Real Estate’s Greatest Dangers – How to Avoid Them Through Smart Decisions“, please email mail@goulburnre.com.au and we can post a copy to you or visit our office at 148 Auburn Street, Goulburn.