The Real Estate profession takes on a very personal meaning when you are looking to get your perfect fit with a real estate agent. You want someone who loves your house, understands your busy life and will get you the most money in the shortest amount of marketing time!
Deciding to sell your property means placing your family in the hands of another person, someone who will clearly explain the process and has a handle on the pulse of the market.
This endeavor does more, it includes this new person, the realtor, with everyone in the house, not just those doing the financing, but the children, the pets and whoever else does the child care or has a vested interest in the heart of the home. What a responsibility this position has! New personalities to get to know and here we go!
Your agent becomes part of the household, knowing the schedules, and attempting to keep order with the outside world. This comment sounds strange but the buyers and their agents, in their busy lives too, are not concerned about the current homeowners. The privacy of the sellers needs to be maintained and respected.
There are quite a number of realtors in our area and it is important to seek out the compassion and yet professionalism that becomes the perfect agent for you. As the seller, you need to make your needs clear up front. Are you not available to speak until after 8:00 o’clock in the evening? Is getting the dog quiet going to mean involving a neighbor to walk it during showings? Is dinnertime out of the question for showings?
There are so many different lifestyles, a wide range of ages and needs that people have and the agent you chose must be ready to put on the hat of that specific client. Elderly sellers, for example, may need resources such as transportation to preview properties or to declutter their homes to get them ready for sale. The “empty nester” may have reservations about downsizing and the kids being gone. An appointment with a realtor is an opportunity to get comfortable with a new person in your life. This person will be in daily basis communication with you for months, so choose carefully.
As professional realtors, we are all full of information and statistics regarding the market, but in the end, we become a source of counseling and support. Trust is my favorite word because when you first meet that agent and consider selling, you are moving into a bit of the unknown. The guidance you receive will give you strength. It will help you sleep at night, without worries during the transaction and will create a plan that keeps your private life and routine obligations intact. Choose wisely, the best referral is from a friend. Ask around, conversations will include comments on how it was complicated, but I could not have done it without my realtor.