How to Select a Real Estate Agent

Kristy Stavrou: Selecting an agent is a personal decision and you might want to ask friends or family, if they have had successful transactions or neighbors who have sold their house already in the declining market, who they used and were they happy with the service that they have received.

Dennis Bruce: Our business has always been a referral business and I think it is best to rely on folks who have a proven track record, because we are great at promoting our successes and we try to, kind of, dust under the rug our failures. All of the agents in this marketplace have statistics that demonstrate their results in the MRIS system or MLS system, It has what they had sold, what they haven't sold, what they have active, how long they have had it active, what has been withdrawn, expired. Ask them about their numbers because unless you ask them that question, you won't get an answer. Actually, you may not get an honest answer, if you ask the question. Thats why its best to ask them to demonstrate the results. Kristy Stavrou: Agents will all provide you a certain level of service. They are all going to put you into the Multiple Listing Service, they will put a lock-box on your front door, but with over 80% of people beginning their search for homes on the Internet, the biggest thing that they can be asking for right now is what is your internet exposure? What am I going to get from you online?

Dennis Bruce: All the marketing in the world does not going to cause your home to sell if its overpriced. So often an agent will inflate a price in hopes that they are going to secure the listing that way and quite frankly, that is a very effective tactic. Not something that I do or believe in or advice agents to do, but it often does result in a home owner choosing the wrong agent because they choose an agent who is giving them a price thats not realistic. If they allow you to overprice your home, they are costing you a whole lot of money.

Kristy Stavrou: What you need to remember is you are going to be tied with this person for a certain period of time. Interview several agents and go with the person who you feel most comfortable working with. To watch the other segments in this video series or for How To videos on almost any other topic, visit monkeysee.

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