Before placing a home on the market or setting out to find the perfect new home, you should identify brokers who you could work with and take the opportunity to meet with them to review your needs and how they can assist you. In this day and age everyone knows someone either in the real estate industry or they can get a referral for someone in it. Choosing the right person to work with is much more than a simple referral and should involve you both evaluating the pertinent details about the broker but also the nature and personality of the broker since they will be your representation and advocate to guide you through the sales process. Here are some questions you may consider asking:
There are various forms of representation in different states. Some brokers represent only buyers, some represent only sellers, some represent both at different times, some facilitate transactions as a neutral party and in some cases different sales people in a brokerage or team may represent different parties within a transaction or specialize in particular types of service to clients.
Ask about recent home sales and comparable/competitive properties currently on the market. If you speak with several brokers and their price estimates differ, that’s alright—but be sure to ask how their price opinions were determined and why they think your home would sell for a given value. Request a written Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), as well.
At listing presentations, brokers will provide a detailed summary of how they market homes, what marketing strategies have worked in the past and which marketing efforts may be effective for your home.
Be aware that because all homes are unique, some will sell faster than others. Multiple factors can impact the amount of time a home remains on the market, including pricing, neighborhood changing interest rates and local economic trends.
Brokerage fees are established in the marketplace but are not set by law or regulation. The commission is the broker’s rate for handling your transaction and will be split with a cooperating broker who brings a buyer to the transaction. Ask if there are other fees you will have to pay such as an early cancellation fee, marketing fee or any other cost that is not included in the commission that is paid out at closing from the proceeds.
It is our passion to provide all of our clients, no matter their needs, goals or property type with superior representation, information and expertise while we endeavor to make your real estate transaction a success from start to finish. We strive to earn your trust, repeat business and referral to others by focusing intently on your needs, goals and desires from your real estate transaction.
We believe that being a real estate professional is much more than opening doors, putting a sign up. It is a direct relationship with our clients that is like family with a focus on the client’s needs first and foremost; thorough and direct communication by the broker throughout every step of our time together; providing our expertise and advice at every step and striving to exceed your expectations from the moment of our first encounter to after closing is complete.
We have an experienced and dedicated team of people we work with including escrow and title officers, inspectors, contractors, appraisers and a wholesale lending source that buyers of our listings receive incentives to utilize. We have the following values as a team:
We will always communicate openly and thoroughly with our clients and keep them informed throughout each step of the transaction. We tell our clients the truth and not just what they “want to hear”
The needs and welfare of the clients we represent come first and are the most important element to our business
We strive to be the example in our industry for providing our clients with the highest level of service possible so that they value our relationship and the input and advice we provide
We will always act with the highest level of professionalism and provide a passionate ethical level of service to our clients in order to help them achieve their real estate goals
We believe that the broker client direct relationship is of paramount importance in the real estate industry. We will not pass off our clients to be handled by other brokers, associates or assistants at any point during our relationship
We will always do the right thing and say the right thing, no matter what
We will always be accountable for our actions– to our clients, to those involved in the transaction and to ourselves. We will complete all tasks necessary in a timely, professional manner.
We care about our clients and their well-being over all. It’s never just about “a sale.”
We will work with other brokers and industry professionals in a manner which is collaborative. Our goal is the success of our clients but we will pursue that by working in a cooperative and synergistic way.
We are constantly learning in this industry and never stuck in old ways. We are never satisfied with the status quo and constantly looking for creative opportunities, new ideas and new ways to practice real estate that are outside of the traditional box.
We are dedicated to achieving excellence in our field by constantly increasing our level of knowledge and education and in the level of service that we provide to our clients
We know what makes a home sell: How to price it, how to market it, how to show it and how to sell it. Selling your property is a big decision, so it's important to work with a broker you can trust to get the job done successfully.
The best way to make sure you sell your home for the best price, and in the shortest amount of time, is to work with one of our full service, experienced brokers. We're educated in every aspect of the listing process from determining an accurate list price, creating marketing that will promote the home effectively, negotiating the terms of the contract, inspections, appraisals and guiding the transaction through to the close of escrow.
When you choose to work with us, you're not just getting a brokerage who uses the best tools and technology to sell your property for the most amount of money in the least amount of time. You're also getting transparency and constant communication throughout the entire process, so you can relax knowing that every detail of your home sale has been taken care of.
When you first meet with us, we'll get to know you to understand your selling goals for the property and explain how we can help you achieve them. We will be prepared with comparable property details, market data and current competition.
We will show you our recommendation on what to list the property for and how long it could take to sell. We will go over the customized marketing plan we will build for your property. We will also show you the innovative technology we will use to market your listing and manage the entire transaction from start to finish.
Be sure to specify how you would like to communicate. Some clients prefer emails while others only want to be called or have in-person meetings. Whatever your preference, it is best to outline those expectations upfront so everyone is working with clearly-defined objectives.
Remember, the broker is your advocate in the transaction, whether you are buying or selling. Once you have signed up with an Seattle Area Real Estate Team broker to represent you, he or she is your face, your voice and your defense against all involved in the multi-layered home selling process.
Your home may be your single biggest investment and one of the largest financial transactions you'll ever make. So when you sell, you want to get the best price and the most favorable terms. But there's much more to marketing a home than placing a classified ad in the newspaper and putting a "For Sale" sign in the front yard. There are many elements and details that go into the sale, from the time you set the price to the final closing.
The best way to make sure you sell your home for the best price, and in the shortest amount of time, is to work with a full-service professional Seattle Area Real Estate Team broker.