How To Find the Best Realtor to Sell My House

What to Look for in a Realtor

When looking for the Best Realtor, it’s important to consider three key qualities that can make all the difference.

• Experience: Experience plays a crucial role as it proves the real estate agent has a solid understanding and experience in the real estate market. Their experience should ideally include more than just a few transactions but a substantial history of successful sales.
• Professional Network: A strong local network allows a realtor to tap into valuable resources, connections, and area information to help you sell your home. Your real estate agent’s relationships with other realtors help them better position your home with agents who may represent buyers looking for a home like yours.
• Communications: Excellent communication skills are essential to know how well your home is positioned in the market and received by potential buyers. This feedback is critical so adjustments can be made where needed. A realtor who keeps you informed, listens to your input, and can advise you on this feedback is invaluable.

By prioritizing these qualities, you’ll make it easy to find the best realtor to sell your house.

How to Research Local Realtors

A quick online search will reveal many real estate professionals in your area, but not all are created equal, and many searches will pull up paid postings of Realtors vs. real information.

Start by looking at the online information available for realtors in your local area.

Here are some considerations:

• Years of experience: How long have they been a real estate agent? While not the sole factor, the total number of years an agent has been actively working provides a baseline understanding of their exposure to different market conditions, negotiation tactics, and client scenarios.
• Number and types of homes sold: What types of homes and how many have they sold? Realtors with a higher volume of homes sold, especially those similar in style to yours and within the same price range or above, have proven their ability to represent sellers like you in your local market.
• Team or Individual Producer: Often, a Team will have a Team Lead who is considered the rainmaker and brings business in. However, once your home is listed, you are often passed off to the Team while that Team Lead goes and finds more listings. Not all teams are like this, but many/most of the larger ones are, and many sellers do not like this experience. (The Judi Wright Team is a team, but we follow a small team concept, and you are not passed off to a listing coordinator or other team member).
• Designations and certifications: Do they have any industry certifications, such as being a luxury specialist, etc? Realtors with additional education and specialized training beyond the basic license signify their commitment to the profession and expertise in specific areas like luxury properties, relocation, etc.
• Local market knowledge: Does the Realtor know the area? Are they close by in the event something is needed at your house during or after a showing? Realtors with an in-depth understanding of your area’s market trends, neighborhood pricing, and community influences are essential.
• An online presence: Does the Realtor have a website and social media presence? Are they easily approachable and actively engaging with online visitors? Having a public face tells you that the real estate agent engages with their clients and professional network. Having these strong relationships helps them serve you better.
• Client Testimonials: Do they have positive reviews from other clients? Referrals from happy clients are an important consideration when choosing a realtor. The best realtors will have online testimonials/reviews from their clients and are a good gauge when selecting a real estate agent.
• Direct referrals: If you have friends and family nearby, chances are they have worked with a local realtor. Just ask them who they know and what their experience was.
• Do They Answer Their Phone: It’s important to have a Realtor you can reach. Do they answer their phone? Is there a message saying if you call after 7 PM, they will call you back the next day? While private time with their family and having a life is important, it’s also important to get back to other agents quickly who are calling with questions about your home.
• Third-party real estate directories: If an agent is listed at the top of one of these local directories, does that mean they’re the best? Generally not. During your online search, you will find many local real estate agent directories and sponsored links at the top of the search results. These are usually paid promotions and do not reflect an agent’s experience. To make an informed choice, we recommend taking the time to research the previous bullet points in this section.

Any experienced real estate agent will have a significant online presence. Do they have a YouTube Channel? It’s the little things that show how connected they are. Having a public face is important to their success as realtors. Therefore, you will have no problem finding the information you need when searching for a realtor to sell your home.

Meet With Potential Realtors

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential realtors, it’s important to take the time to meet with them in person.

This face-to-face time allows you to gauge the Realtor’s experience by asking any questions you have about the selling process. How they answer will give you a clearer understanding of their expertise and approach and to see how your personalities fit.

Here are a few questions to consider:

• Their marketing plan: What is the Realtor’s marketing plan for your home? Ask questions like who they think is the ideal buyer for your home. What do they think is needed to elevate your home over other listings? (Professional Photos, Virtual Tours, Staging, etc.).
• Pricing Strategy: Using a comparative market analysis, an experienced realtor will have the tools to price your house competitively. They should be able to provide you with all these details and how they arrived at the best listing price for your home. Of course, unique factors could impact pricing, and an experienced agent can explain these fully.
• Communication: How will they communicate with you, and how often? Some sellers are hands-off and only want to hear from their agent if there’s an offer. Others want to be informed every step of the way. It’s up to you to decide your expectations and if the Realtor can meet them.
• Direct References: Can they provide a list of references for you to contact? If you need to speak with actual clients the Realtor has worked with; they will first need to get permission from the client. Most top-rated real estate agents should be able to provide you with a few you can talk with directly.
• Listing Terms: What are the terms when listing with the agent? These terms are not one-size-fits-all, and it’s important to ask potential realtors about the terms of their listing agreement.

Selling your home is a big step, and meeting potential realtors in person will ensure that you make an informed decision in choosing the best Realtor who is the right fit to help you sell your home.