As a real estate investor who regularly buys and then re-sells houses, I often have occasion to hire real estate agents to put my houses on the MLS. However, I see my relationship with my real estate agent differently than most homeowners, that's probably fair to say when I try to sell my house.
Back when I was beginning to learn how to sell my house I starting out doing it like everybody else did it at the time, and hadn't developed the understanding about my personal responsibility as a seller. What I mean is that I thought if I signed a listing agreement then the agent became completely responsible for the transaction immediately. Basically, I turned over all responsibility and attention to my agent and pursued other real estate deals. But, over time I realized that is not how to sell my house at all. And it is certainly not how to go about the process required to sell your own home.
It's easy to find plenty of websites and lots of articles online as well as printed pamphlets describing the common traits that sellers want to find in agents. They want agents who understand their needs, who are trustworthy, who bring qualified buyers and not just lookers to see the house, who do not pressure them to lower the price or sell to a particular buyer, who have good connections with buyers and other people in their industry, who are expert negotiators and who have careful attention on the details of all their listings every day.
I've noticed that some sellers desire a long history of sales success, as well, when they are contemplating hiring an agent. I'm not sure they that list always provides what a particular seller needs. Probably the thing I've learned about how to sell my house that is most important is that every seller has specific needs. An agent must be sensitive to the needs of each seller. Sellers, for example, selling a quaint cabin in the woods have very different needs than owners of a large horse-training property. While that's just one example, it shows you what I mean by specific.
I hire real estate agents who allow me sell my house by owner without obligation to pay a real estate commission. This is not a common arrangement, but it is legal. I also hire agents who put my house on the MLS with the agreement that I can market my house myself, too. I discuss all these requirements with my prospective agents before hiring them to help me sell my house, and I am suggesting that you think carefully about your own needs as well. Take time to find the right agent for your own purposes, one who agrees to provide all the services, and only the services you want.
