If you have decided to sell your house using a real estate agent in Raleigh, be prepared to do your research, there are a lot to choose from. There are hundreds of real estate companies in the Raleigh NC area alone (not including Durham and Chapel Hill). The point is that this will be the sale of your largest asset, so great care should be taken in selecting a professional.
Below are 5 tips on hiring a real estate agent in Raleigh NC…
5 Tips On Hiring a Real Estate Agent In Raleigh NC
#1. Do An Online Search
Do an online search for real estate agent in Raleigh NC, or your “city-state”, and look at the results. The great thing about using a Google search is that the map section will come up with local business, and their reviews. This will give you transparency into what others have been saying about this business, and is a very powerful tool.
When looking at the different business listings, be sure to visit the website, as well as the real estate blog. Do they have relevant and informative content? A reputable company will have invested time and money in their websites, and as a result, have a good search engine presence.
#2. Ask For Referrals
Have your friends, family members, or coworkers bought or sold a house in the last few years?
- How was their overall experience?
- How long did it take to find a buyer and close the transaction?
- Were they satisfied with the customer service?
- What kind of brokerage fees did they pay?
- Did they have to pay a large amount of closing costs?
A great way to get quick referrals is to use the recommendations feature on your Facebook page.
Simply type a message saying that you are looking for a great real estate agent in your local area and post! Names will begin coming in immediately. Many times, a link to the agent’s Facebook page will be included which will allow you to look at their websites.
#3. Stay Local
Do you notice the presence of one particular agent, or company, in your area? Do you see many of their “For Sale”, and “Sold” signs? A company with a strong local presence will usually have a good amount of buyers that are looking for homes in your area. A good tip is to take a picture of the sign and add it to your pile of “potential companies” to research. I recommend looking at the successes of the individual agent and not necessarily the particular office or franchise.
#4. List Price vs. Sales Price
This is a good indicator of the company’s overall skill in selling houses. If the agent is skilled, the list price should be very close to the sales price. Veteran agents show a tight consistency between these two numbers.
If there is a big gap between the two, it can mean that the agent did not price the house correctly, or did not do a good job of negotiation. It could also mean that the agent bought the listing, which is a major red flag!
Another common occurrence is that the agent was not firm enough with the seller regarding their opinion of value. Many times sellers think their property is worth far more than it is, and will become stubborn. “If you can get me my price you can have the listing” situation. An experienced real estate agent will have the confidence to turn down an overpriced listing.
#5. Online Reviews
Online reviews are a great way to get a feel for the overall satisfaction of their customers. I would look at more than one review source including Google and Yelp. Look for consistency among the reviews. Also, the more reviews the better. Anyone can get friends and family to write positive reviews for them but to do that consistently across multiple channels is far more difficult. Also, don’t look for perfection among the reviews. All businesses have angry customers—it comes with the territory. An angry customer is far more likely to write a negative review than a positive one. However, a savvy company will encourage as many reviews as possible and is an indication of marketing skill.