Finding the Right Agent to Sell Your Home

by Sandy Dodge

Selling your home is a collaborative effort between you and your real estate agent. As you prepare to sell your home, it’s important to find an agent who not only can answer your questions throughout the selling process, but who also cares about the happiness and goals of you and your household, as well.

 

Before You Begin Your Agent Search

 Once you’ve made the decision to sell, there are some things to consider before selecting an agent to work with.

Communicate your reason for selling

• Behind every homeowner who decides to sell their home there’s a story, and every story is unique. In the early stages of working together, your agent will be processing a lot of information about your timeline and financial goals. Having these details ironed out and ready to communicate will help them understand your motives and guide the process effectively.

 Think about selling strategy

• Part of a real estate agent’s expertise is knowing the optimal selling strategy to pursue, but no one knows your home better than you. Putting time and effort into thinking about things like how your home will be marketed and how showings will be conducted will help inform your agent’s strategic advice.

 

 Finding the Right Agent for You

You and your agent will be communicating throughout the process of selling your home. You’ll be relying on them for updates and information each step of the way. Though your goal in working together is ultimately the sale of your home, your agent’s ability to connect with you on a human level through the emotional ups and downs of the selling process is just as important as their professional attributes. Accordingly, you’ll want to consider what qualities you’re looking for in an agent.

 

To set yourself up for identifying good candidates, talk to people you trust who know your personality and goals. Get referrals from your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. If they recommend someone, follow up with that agent to see if they are a good fit for you.

Searching for an Agent

To give yourself the best pool of potential agents, conduct your search both online and in-person. Exploring an agent’s social media profiles and reading reviews online can be useful in assessing whether they’re someone you want to work with. If in-person showings and open houses are occurring in your market, consider dropping by to get a chance to interact with the agent first-hand. After you have narrowed your agent search, ask for client references to get more insights into what it’s like to work with them.

Agent Certifications

 Some agents choose to earn additional certifications or designations that showcase their commitment to additional training, coursework, and learning to help them specialize and advance their capabilities. Depending on your specific needs, certain designations may appeal to you as you go about finding the right agent to sell your home. The National Association of REALTORS® offers the largest number of professional designations. Explore them here: NAR Designations and Certifications

For help finding the right agent for you, we’re happy to connect you with an agent here.

 

 *About Windermere Homes & Estates*

Windermere Homes & Estates was founded by Rich Johnson in 2013 and has been setting the standard ever since. The forward-thinking company has opened offices across Southern California and is now home to over 600 active and referral agents. The brokerage has received accolades from the San Diego Association of Realtors® (SDAR) such as the Brokerage Achievement of Excellence and Fastest Growing Real Estate Brokerage in 2015. The creation of a place for agents to collaborate and connect on a daily basis both virtually and in person has been a key factor in Windermere Homes & Estates’ success.

For more information on Windermere Homes & Estates, visit https://whesd.com/.

*About Windermere Real Estate*

Windermere Real Estate is the largest regional real estate company in the Western U.S. with over 300 offices and 6,500 agents serving communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Mexico. Last year, Windermere closed over 74,000 home sales for more than $40.6 billion in dollar volume. The Windermere family has a proud heritage of serving our neighbors via the Windermere Foundation which funds services for low-income and homeless families. Since 1989, the Windermere Foundation has contributed more than $43 million towards improving lives in the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit windermere.com.