Why Use an Agent?

The seller covers the commission for the buyer, which is what the buyer expects. When a seller attempts to sell privately, they are usually obligating the buyer to pay a commission to their buyer agent instead, which comes as a shock to the buyer. The result is less buyers coming to the table, and buyers adjusting their offer prices to account for the unexpected commission, which usually results in a lower sale price than would otherwise be received. You avoid this by having an agent.

Avoid the private seller stigma. This is because most brokers have been burned by private sellers, meaning a commission was negotiated but the seller did not pay. Or, a buyer agent tries to negotiate a commission from a private seller to no avail. The result is a stigma that private sellers are difficult to deal with. The result is less buyers. You avoid this by having an agent.

Transacting in Real Estate is emotional – likely the single biggest transaction in your life, and that makes it tough to keep level-headed. It’s easy to lure yourself into the common pitfalls of over-valuing your home out of pride, under-selling out of desperation, or failing to negotiate out of stubbornness. A good agent will steer clear of these pitfalls. Agents also turn negative feedback into constructive criticism from buyers who weren’t interested, as the raw comments could be difficult to hear.

Accurate list price and market timing. A good agent knows the right price to stimulate interest based on objective information such as recently sold comparable properties in the area, and how many new listings occur each day. This is more important than you might think. The key thing you need to understand is that the moment your property gets listed is when you will receive the most interest. Interest rapidly declines from that point. To maximize interest, ideally your property is listed on a slower day with not too many new listings to compete with, and at the right price.

Professional staging advice, photos, virtual tour, video tour, drone footage, and marketing. A good agent will advise you on what needs to be done to prepare your property for listing. From decluttering to touch-ups, a good agent knows how to maximize interest for minimal expense. Your property will be listed with maximum exposure on a variety of platforms including MLS, social media, and other websites, creating a wave of interest. The goal is to spark a bidding war so that you can collect top dollar for your property in a short timeframe.

Handling of paperwork. With the sale of a home comes copious amounts of paperwork. With paperwork comes signatures and record keeping. A good agent will always be ready with the required paperwork on your behalf, and be able to explain the key details in full, and exactly where and when to sign anything, and what your options are. You also have the added peace of mind knowing the brokerage will keep copies of the paperwork for years, so you don’t need to stress out about organizing the paperwork right away.

Negotiate on your behalf. When the offers are coming in a good agent can be relied upon to ensure a successful negotiation. They have a keen eye to spot any conditions or clauses that are not in your best interests as a seller and let you know the risks involved. They can also advise you on the pros and cons of accepting, rejecting, and counter-offering so you can make an informed decision.

Represent your best interests in the transaction. Agents are obligated to put their client’s interests first, even before their own. You will have peace of mind knowing your agent is always looking out for your best interests including confidentiality.