Sometimes a Real Estate Agent can be the difference between a good and bad result for your property sale. That’s why it’s so important to choose an agent that ticks all the right boxes. The last thing you want to do is miss out on the right buyer. You could potentially miss out on thousands of dollars if your real estate agent isn’t committed enough.
Not sure if you’ve picked the right Real Estate Agent? There are plenty of warning signs to look out for. To help you out, we’re going through ten of them. Look for these warning signs when you’re ready to sell a property and hire a Real Estate Agent.
The agent is rarely available for inspections
When your house first gets listed, it’s time to start letting people in for inspections. A good Real Estate Agent should be available to supervise these inspections. They should be one of those friendly faces that prospective buyers meet at the door when they come in for an inspection.
The best days for open house inspections are usually on the weekend. These days are the easiest to get prospective buyers in to see your property. If your Real Estate Agent doesn’t show up for these inspections, their absence could be a warning sign. If your agent isn’t dedicating enough time to your property then they’re simply not looking after your best interests.
Your agent needs to set up house inspections to ensure there’s enough interest in your property. If your agent isn’t setting up enough inspections then there’s a small chance you’ll get enough interest in your property. The more inspections you have, the more interested buyers you’ll have on auction day.
No marketing know-how
Now more than ever there’s a lot of ways you can market your property. Gone are the days where all you could do is print media like flyers and a for sale sign on the front lawn. Now there are several options for marketing your property online. Your real estate agent should be very savvy when it comes to marketing your property on multiple platforms.
Your real estate agent needs to have a proactive plan for sending mailers, advertising on social media, and publishing listings on websites like realestate.com.au. Professional photographs need to be taken which can be used for advertising your house on multiple platforms.
If your Real Estate Agent isn’t taking a multi-platform approach to your advertising then the whole campaign could suffer. If ads for your house don’t reach the masses, then your property has little hope of attracting interested buyers. So make sure your Real Estate Agent knows what they’re doing when it comes to advertising property in the 21st century.
A lack of negotiation skills
There are many skills a Real Estate Agent needs to be successful at their job. One of them is the ability to negotiate. Negotiation skills are very important when it comes to dealing with prospective buyers. Your agent should have the ability to reach a deal between you and a buyer.
In a lot of scenarios, your agent will be challenged with offers on your house that may not sit within the range you’re looking to sell for. It’s up to the Agent to negotiate with a buyer and convince them that the house they’re bidding on is worth more than their current offer.
In some cases, a prospective buyer may inspect the house and find issues with it. These issues could include cosmetic issues like scratches on the wall or bad paint jobs which could devalue the house. No matter what the issues are, your agent should be able to confidently negotiate a good price for your house. If they lack these negotiation skills, then consider this as another warning sign.
Too inexperienced
Every Real Estate Agent needs to start somewhere. In the early stages of their career, it’s likely their ability to sell may not be as good as more experienced Agents. New Real Estate Agents can bring plenty of new and refreshing perspectives to the table. Especially when it comes to new marketing methods.
But a lack of experience can always harm the sale of your home. If your Real Estate Agent doesn’t have a lot of experience working in the local area then it’s a clear disadvantage. Remember they’re also competing against other local Real Estate Agents all looking to sell houses of their own in the same suburb.
An inexperienced real estate agent won’t have the same level of critical negotiation and paperwork skills. So when you hire a Real Estate Agent that’s new to the job, make sure they’re capable of handling all the big tasks of selling your property. Another way to safeguard your property sale is to make sure that they’re being mentored by a more experienced Agent.
They don’t understand the property’s market value
Has your property been on the market for months with multiple showings and no offers? One reason why this is the case may have to do with the advertised price of your property. There’s a good chance your agent has listed your property for a lot more than it’s worth.
A big mistake Real Estate Agents can make is trying to jack up the sale price of your property just to get your business. If they’re ignoring recent local trends then they’re not valuing your property the right way. All this does is set unrealistic expectations for your while decreasing the chances of finding any potential buyers from your property.
The longer your property stays on the market, the more likely it is that people will believe that something’s wrong with it too. That’s why pricing a home from the very beginning is so important. So make sure the next Real Estate Agent you choose doesn’t try to set the bar too high when it comes to your expectations.
Your Agent is too pushy
When a Real Estate Agent is desperate for a deal it can show. If your agent is pushing you to accept an offer you’re not comfortable with, then it could be a sign they’re not a good match for you. Essentially you want to work with an Agent that leaves you feeling confident with the decision you’re making.
Prospective buyers for your property may also see straight through the desperation and pushiness of your Real Estate Agent. They could see this behaviour as a red flag that something is wrong with the property. Any prospective buyer should only make an offer when they’re confident about their decision.
At the end of the day, your Real Estate Agent should never push you to make a decision that you’re uncomfortable with. Any decision they recommend to you should be within your best interests. Not their own.
Not familiar with the area
You can hire an experienced Real Estate Agent but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have the right experience. A seasoned professional could have spent over ten years selling property in one cluster of suburbs. That doesn’t mean their experience and expertise will transfer over to a new suburb.
When you’re looking for a real estate agent it’s best to choose someone who’s a local area expert. Ideally, they need to be someone with years of experience in the suburb you’re selling property in. Your agent needs to have a real understanding of the local market. They should know when an offer is competitive but fair.
Your Real Estate Agent is also the buyer’s agent
One of the worst mistakes you can make is hiring an agent that is also the Buyer’s Agent. This is referred to in the industry as a dual agency and it’s frowned upon. This scenario only really serves the Agent well. This gives the Agent plenty of opportunities to take advantage of the situation and get twice the amount of commission they’re used to for a house sale.
A Buyer’s Agent is supposed to represent the best interests of the buyer by finding the lowest price for a house. How can an Agent do this when it’s also in their best interests to raise the price of the house for the seller? The Agent can’t have everyone’s interests as a priority. Someone will be set to lose out financially in this scenario.
Your agent is unprofessional
Sometimes first impressions can tell you everything about the way someone provides a service. If your first contact with an Agent seems unprofessional then it’s probably a good indicator of what’s to come. If a Real Estate Agent makes you uncomfortable then don’t be afraid to show them the door.
You should never accept behaviour like inappropriate comments. Tardiness or poor communication skills should also be a massive deterrent for you. Ultimately your Real Estate Agent needs to be a people person. If they can’t engage with you in a professional and empathetic nature, how will they attract the right buyers for your property?
They never ask the right questions
It’s so important for you and your Real Estate Agent to be on the same page. Any good Agent should be asking the right questions when they’re in the process of listing your home. Asking the right questions can make the whole selling process faster and painless.
Important questions your Real Estate Agent should be asking includes: how fast are you looking to sell? What improvements need to be made to your house? Are there any current home projects you’re looking to finish before sale? When an Agent asks the right questions they get the right information they need to sell your home.
