Let us not beat about the bush: For a lot of South Africans, buying or selling a residential property is one of the biggest, most intimidating financial transaction they will ever be involved in, in their whole lives. And even if it is not the event with the biggest impact, for some, buying or selling a home has a huge impact on the next few years of a purchasor's life.
This is why the majority of South African home sellers and home buyers call on real estate agents for help.
Real estate agent support
The assistance of a real estate agent can be very reassuring, especially for a first time home buyers and home sellers. All the legal mumbo-jumbo involved in buying and selling a home can be quite overwhelming, not to mention the marketing of the home and all the other things that has to happen once a home is bought or sold.
A real estate agent takes care of these things on their clients' behalf. A good real estate agent can take a lot of stress off your shoulders, when it comes to the marketing and legal matters relating to the sale of the home. They do most of the dirty work for you, from advertising, showing the property, writing offers to purchase, to arranging for finance and the transfer of ownership of the home.
You can choose how involved you would like to be in the purchase or sale of the home. And you can even trust the real estate agent to handle the entire process of buying or selling a property in the hands of your real estate agent.
Finding the best real estate agent
But whatever level of service you choose, you will most probably want to select the best real estate agent (for you). This means that you will have to do a little bit of research and interview a number of real estate agents for the position. You are employing a real estate agent to sell your home, so why not approach the selection of your real estate agent in the same way you would approach emplying any other employee?
When selecting a real estate agent, ask them about other homes they have sold in your general area. Think back on the marketing of the property. How well was the property maketed? Did you know that the property was for sale? Is the real estate agency well known in your area? Have you seen any of their flyers, yard signs, billboards, newspaper advertisements or even television adverts?
Reputation counts
If the real estate agency is not well known, it might mean that they have not been able to market themselves properly. Do you feel comfortable to employ them to market your home?
Speak to clients that have recently worked with the real estate agent. The level of satisfaction previous clients experienced, working with the real estate agent, can be a good indication of how happy you will be with his/her service.
A real estate agent who is widely known and has a good reputation is usually more reputable than an obscure, or start-up real estate agent. And the more reputable the real estate agent is, the more negotiating power they may have when it comes to selling your home for the highest possible price, or purchasing a home for yourself at the lowest possible price.
That said, some people are just awesome at negotiating. But for the purposes of choosing an estate agent whom you have never met, it is safest to rely on the agent's reputation.
Does the real estate agent have a plan?
Good, honest listing real estate agents are happy to furnish you with a detailed plan for what they intend for the marketing of your home.
When you are selecting an agent, be sure to evaluate the real estate agent's marketing proposal, along with their resume and references. Be sure to discuss how your prospective real estate agent plans to inform everyone that your home is for sale. Marketing the property successfully is after all how you find a buyer for the home!
Does the real estate agent have time for you?
If you are trying to sell your home on a timely schedule, or if you are in situation where time is critical, an amateur real estate agent just may not be the best option for you. So, be sure to ask how much time the prospective agent will be able to spend on marketing and showing your home.
Select the Best Real Estate Agent
Your requirements for a real estate agent may differ greatly from another home seller or home buyer. So, your "best real estate agent may look a little different from the "best real estate agent" for your neighbour. Know what you want from your real estate agent and then select the best real estate agent based on those requirements
Oh: Be sure to discuss the details regarding fees and commissions prior to entering into any type of mandate or marketing agreement, whether it is an oral or written agreement.
