In the previous post we talked about all the work and time involved in selling a house on your own, without intermediaries. Maybe after reading the post, you were convinced that it is a job you can do alone (and if so, congratulations! It’s not an easy job). It’s also possible that you decided you need help, so you are considering the next step: Choosing a real estate agency.
Choosing a good real estate agency in Torrevieja will ensure that you sell the house at the price it deserves, with minimal problems for you. But how to distinguish a quality real estate agency from one that is not? Keep on reading.
Trust is key.
Knowledge of the market and constant formation.
Marketing plan.
Collaboration with other agents.
Constant updates.
Integral service.
Trust is key.
Unfortunately, there is no requirement to set up a real estate agency in Torrevieja, which means that anyone, regardless of qualification or experience, can sell houses. Not all real estate agents are good enough, and although there is no foolproof technique to measure trust, there are a number of signs that we can guide ourselves through.
A reliable real estate agency will have a physical location, good Internet presence, and reliable testimonials from their clients. Nowadays, anyone can leave a review, either positive or negative, about any service they have received. In addition, an agency that cares about its clients will try to listen to what they have to say, and will have testimonials, photographs, and videos that speak of their experience.
Once you have established contact with the agency, another factor that shows confidence is that the agents know how to answer any question. Ask about the work method, the team, the sales process, the documentation. The agent must be able to answer everything, demonstrate professionalism and seriousness, and provide everything in writing.
Knowledge of the market and constant training.
Your real estate agency should know the market better than anyone, have updated sales price data, and know what tools to use to give you the best possible rating for your home. This assessment is based on the characteristics, the state and the environment of the property, and although it is only indicative, paying attention to the assessment guarantees that you will obtain a quick sale.
Similarly, a good real estate agency, in Torrevieja or otherwise, should have agents who are always aware of the latest trends, technologies, and negotiation strategies. If your real estate agency takes photos with a mobile phone, has no idea what the words “home staging” or “emailing” mean, and has been using the same selling techniques since 1992… you might as well find a different one.
Marketing plan.
In line with the previous point, assess the marketing plan that the agency can offer for your home. What is the agency’s plan to highlight your apartment in Torrevieja? What channels will they use to advertise it? Do they use innovative techniques such as virtual reality? Can they show you work that has been done for previous clients?
Today there are many ways to sell a home, and your agency must know and apply all, or at least the majority of them. There’s a lot of work to be done before the house is actually sold, and the agency must be able to show that they really do it.
Constant updates.
Once you have completed the paperwork with the agency, and your house is already available for sale, the agency has a duty to keep you informed about the house’s situation. A good real estate agent will send you sales reports periodically, so that you are aware at all times of the interest that your house raises (or doesn´t), and you can act accordingly.
In addition, the professional agency will ensure that all potential buyers are correctly identified and registered, using signed visit reports, to avoid unpleasant surprises in the future. And of course, whenever the buyer decides to submit an offer, it must be firm, with money involved so as not to waste your time.
Collaboration with other agents.
A clear indicator of quality is belonging to an MLS, that is, a network of permanent collaboration between real estate agencies. Normally, these MLS (like MLS Torrevieja) have strict participation criteria, and not any agency can join. Ask your agency if they participate in an MLS.
In addition, belonging to an MLS has an added advantage; your home will be shared with a number of collaborators just as hardworking as your agency, and therefore you will reach a wider audience and have greater possibilities of selling it.
Integral service.
Searching for buyers is not the only thing a real estate agency does. Your agency should help you with all the procedures, from the cancellation of the mortgage to the payment of the surplus value, without leaving any loose ends.
What about the badly called comission? The word “comission” is something of the past; a good real estate agency charges a fee for the integral service it offers, not a comission to introduce you to the seller and ignore everything else. The fees aren’t regulated, but in the end, everything has a price; an agent can charge very little because they only put up a sign and bring visits without so much as regstern them, while another agent that charges a little bit more offers a complete service with marketing plan, virtual reality, law assessment and every guarantee you need in an operation as serious as selling your house. It’s all about seeing what kind of service you deserve.
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