The house is physically ready and now it is time to get it on the market. The next step is finding a Realtor® who will handle all the marketing, show the property and help with negotiating the offers.
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Choose Your REALTOR® With Extreme Care
No other single factor will have a greater impact on the successful sale of your home as will your choice of a REALTOR®. The right agent can make the process seem smooth and hassle-free, even if it isn’t. The wrong choice, on the other hand, could result in endless hassles, frustration, delays, and disappointment. Don’t take this decision lightly!
In today’s competitive real estate market, homes are receiving multiple offers and selling fast. It is important to have an agent that can easily explain and guide you through all the offers to help you determine which one is the best option for you.
You may opt to sell your home yourself. If you have the time and patience to do so, the information in this report will prove invaluable. However, an agent brings several important assets to the table. Here are a few of them:
Knowledge of the market: This helps when determining price and negotiating the sale.
Contacts with qualified buyers rather than “tire-kickers”: Often future buyers will shop For Sale By Owner properties to familiarize themselves with the market several months before they’re ready to buy. You could find yourself spending a lot of time showing your home to unqualified prospects. Before showing your home, an agent will qualify prospective buyers by finding out how much they can afford to spend, whether they have already qualified or can qualify for financing, and how quickly they are able to move, among other things.
Marketing clout: Because the agent makes a career out of being in front of the market, he or she has the contacts, connections, and exposure to attract prospective buyers for you. Things to look for in selecting a REALTOR®:
- Reputation. Do your homework. An agency doesn’t have to be large to be effective, but it does need to have a track record of success.
- A proactive game plan to market your home. Today’s savvy housing market demands that the professional know how to reach your best prospects as soon as they start looking (if not before!), as well as the skills to turn lookers into buyers so your home gets sold.
- In-depth knowledge of your market area. Pricing, appeal, and availability can vary dramatically within a single neighborhood or across town. To be effective, an agent needs to be intimately acquainted with all the variables, including financing, state and local laws and ordinances governing real estate transactions, and other details to help you anticipate, avoid, and solve problems before they occur.
- A team that’s in the game. Some people worry that if the brokerage is busy, they won’t have time to give customers the attention they deserve. Well, who would you rather operate on you—the surgeon who’s in demand or the one who’s sitting on his hands? Don’t hire a part-time medical technician when you need delicate brain surgery. A team of specialists who support the agent means you have someone available to help you all the time.
- Someone you feel good about. That sounds pretty subjective, but it’s important that you trust your agent and have utmost confidence in his or her ability to perform.
- Right to cancel. Most reputable agents work hard to sell your home and earn their commissions. Once you sign a listing contract with an agent, you are obligated to pay them the commission, regardless of how satisfied you are with their performance. A true professional will help you protect yourself by giving you a guarantee of performance with a right to cancel at any time for any reason.
MARKET UPDATE:
Williston – Single Family homes listings and closings increased slightly. Condo listings and closings declined by approximately 25% between 2020 & 2021. There was a good change in median prices with single family homes increasing from $480,068 in 2020 to $514,500 in 2021, a 7.2% increase. Condos also increased in value, starting $307,500 in 2020 to $351,000 in 2021, a 14.1% increase.
Milton – Single Family homes listings and closings increased slightly. Condo listings and closings declined slightly between 2020 & 2021. There was an increase in median prices with single family homes increasing from $315,000 in 2020 to $350,000 in 2021, a 11.1% increase. Condos also increased in value, starting $235,000 in 2020 to $247,250 in 2021, a 5.2% increase.