Phoenix Home Selling Made Simple: Finding an Agent and Pricing Your Home for Sale (Part 1 of 3)
Deciding to sell your home is a financial decision, to be sure – but before it becomes a financial decision, it is really an emotional decision. This may sound odd, but the very first thing you must do when preparing to sell your home is decide to sell it. A firm decision to sell will enable you to begin detaching from your home and all your cherished memories so that you can start viewing it as simply a house. Once you’ve done that, the next step is to choose a listing agent who will represent you as you place your Phoenix house for sale.
Characteristics to Look for in a Good Listing Agent
- Experience – You want an agent who has lots of experience selling homes and negotiating for their clients. Make sure they’re familiar with your area of the Valley. Knowing Phoenix is not the same as knowing Casa Grande
- Education – Be sure to find out what kinds of degrees and certifications they have.
- Integrity – You want an agent who is honest and reputable in the way they do business.
- Connections – Your agent should have great networking skills and a large contact list of other good, experienced agents, who may refer a local or out-of-state buyer to them.
- Negotiating skills – You want your listing agent to be a skilled negotiator who has your best interests at heart.
- Communication – The ability to communicate well – with you, with the buyer’s agent, and with all the other professionals involved in this transaction – is essential.
A personal referral is the best way to find a REALTOR® to represent you. However, if you don’t know [of] any reputable REALTORs® in Phoenix – or your area - it may make sense to start your search online. In either case, interview a handful of agents to find one who knows your neighborhood and has the experience necessary to represent you and your home best.
Once you’ve found the right agent, they will help you determine how much your house is worth. The biggest mistake a seller ever makes is overpricing their house. Yes, it may be heaven to you, but market conditions must be considered so that your pricing is on par with other houses for sale in your area. Your REALTOR® will use a comparative market analysis to help you determine the most realistic price.
It’s imperative that you hire an agent you trust – because when they advise you on pricing, you’ll know they’re telling you the truth and not simply saying what they think you want to hear. And if the REALTOR® tells you that your asking price is too high, it’s really in your best interest to pay attention and adjust your pricing accordingly.
Yes, selling your home is understandably a huge, potentially stressful undertaking, but hiring a REALTOR you trust will make the whole process much simpler!
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