WHEN SELLING YOUR PROPERTY, IT PAYS TO BE CHOOSEY…
CHOOSE SKILL, NOT OPINIONS
Some agents tell lies to win your business. Be very careful that you do not choose the agent who tells you the biggest lie about how much ‘you will get’ for your property. This is called ‘buying the business’.
UNLESS THE AGENT IS PREPARED TO BUY YOUR PROPERTY, HIS OR HER OPINION IS IRRELEVANT
If you choose agents based on the selling price they quote you – their opinions – you may be badly disappointed, and may even wind up in financial difficulty.
If you suspect that an agent is attempting to buy your business with an inflated sale price estimate, insist they give you their estimate in writing. Insist, also, that they charge you nothing if they sell for less than the price they estimated. This will identify the agents who are enticing you with false quotes.
CHOOSE SKILL, NOT THE CHEAPEST
Cheap agents get cheap prices. Be careful choosing an agent based purely on their fees.
IF AGENTS GIVE THEIR OWN MONEY AWAY WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY WILL DO WITH YOUR MONEY?
It may be better to pay an extra one percent for a selling fee than to receive ten percent less on your selling price. Good negotiators rarely give big discounts on their fees. If they get you the best market price, they are worth a fair fee.
CHOOSE NEGOTIATION SKILL
If you have spent much time interviewing real estate agents, you may have noticed that they talk endlessly about the advertising they do, but few talk about the one thing that is most important to you – their negotiation skill.
POOR NEGOTIATORS CAN COST YOU A LOT OF MONEY
Negotiation skills are vital to ensuring you get the highest possible price. A good negotiator can achieve up to an extra ten percent on your selling price. This can mean thousands of dollars.
If you have an attractive property you don’t need a salesperson as much as you need a negotiator. Ask your agent to PROVE his or her negotiation ability to you. Most won’t be able to do so. These are the agents you should avoid.
Article by Gary Pittard
This article is adapted from the seller booklet, How To Get the HIGHEST PRICE for Your Property. To have a complimentary copy home delivered, please contact us.