As Top Producing Real Estate Professionals we are constantly ask ourselves and our sellers what they want in a real estate agent, and the professional they hire to list their home. Asking these types of questions is not only a hallmark of good customer service, but knowing what’s most important to our clients and how they will define success and rate our performance is critically important to us. Organizations like the National Association of Realtors (NAR) perform extensive research to find out what home sellers and buyers want most. We have their findings and are breaking down what sellers have indicated they want most in a real estate agent.

What Sellers Want in A Real Estate Agent

According to data collected by the NAR, the top five things sellers want in a real estate agent is help:

selling the home within a specific time frame (22%)
determining the value of their home and formulating a pricing strategy (21%)
marketing their home to potential buyers (17%)
finding ways to fix up home to sell it for more (16%)
finding a buyer for home (11%)

Help Selling a Home Within a Specific Time Frame (22%)

Timing the sale and helping clients to avoid the cost and hassle associated with a double move is a top priority for most sellers. With job changes, expanding families, and other relocation needs, many sellers become anxious and frustrated when thinking about timing their transactions and locating a replacement property and selling their current home all within their time frame needs.

We have a number of solutions for buyers with a home to sell to this problem Presenting a track record of previous sales, past client testimonials, and emphasizing how the marketing plan and listing price are important to selling quickly are important.

There are options for buyers with a home to sell and while the strategy we employee is not one I will share in this post (as it’s an advantage we employ for our clients) I would encourage homeowners who are interested in selling to call or email me for details on this no cost strategy that can actually increase the price at which your home sells, as well as the dollar value our client’s net from the sale – while allowing you to locate a home to buy before you sell, and avoiding the need for temporary housing or a costly bridge loan! This is truly a win-win strategy! For more on this topic read, Have a Home to Sell But Concerned About Finding your Next Home and Timing the Transactions?

Help Pricing the Home (21%)

Pricing homes competitively is just about equally as important to sellers (20%) as selling their home within their desired timeframe. Sellers want an agent who will list their home at the right price. But, giving sellers the best listing price possible isn’t good enough. Sellers want a real estate agent who will show them exactly how they decided on the pricing strategy and the list price.

Pricing is the linchpin to a successful sale and one of the most important steps in the selling process. In a world of inaccurate Zestimates, we real estate agents need to be incredibly honest and open about how we’ve formulated the pricing strategy for their home.

In this regard, we view themselves as educators. Home sellers need agents to teach them about the best price for their home and to help them understand how that price is determined. Click here to learn more about How to Set a List Price for Your Home.

Help marketing their home to potential buyers (17%)

According to the NAR, 17% of sellers most want a real estate agent who will market their home to buyers. This makes sense as obtaining the highest price for your home involves providing far-reaching exposure to a qualified audience of motivated home buyers. This requires the combination of a solid marketing plan, targeted media exposure, and the utilization of our powerful network of in and out-of-area brokers and buyers.

When you partner with our team, you and your home become a vital component to our integrated marketing program. Our team has the connections and resources to expose your property to more potential buyers than ever before. Our unparalleled ability to expose your property through both traditional as well as advanced modern channels, combined with our industry contacts and local knowledge, assures that your home will be marketed through a disciplined and comprehensive plan that is based on proven marketing principles.

The days of putting a “For Sale” sign in the front yard and running an ad in the newspaper no longer apply. While these traditional marketing methods are still employed, they are not nearly as effective as some of the more modern, innovative tools we employ.

The questions you should ask as you work to Pick the Right Agent to Sell Your Home include:

What online channels will me home be shared on (Zillow, MLS, Social Media, etc.)?
How will the real estate agent make my home stand out from the thousands of listings online (Single Property Sites, media used, target ads, etc.)?
Which forms of media will be used to promote my home (Professional photos, floor plans, video, etc.)?
How will my home be promoted locally (open house, sign riders, etc.)?
How will the real estate agent’s professional network be leveraged to promote my home?

Help Find Ways to Fix Up Home to Sell it For More (16%)

It’s no surprise that home sellers want to ensure their home sells for the most money possible and are willing to take steps to increase the asking price of their home. What these sellers actually want is help and guidance fixing up their homes to sell for more.

When presenting a fair list price and comparables, part of the conversation often turns to home repairs and updates that could be made to ensure the home sells quickly and for the most money possible. At The Opland Group we are not only able to make recommendations for high-impact repairs and updates as well as contractors to perform them, and suppliers for materials, but we also have a vendor partner in Improvio, that provides turnkey repairs and renovations for homeowners who want to sell their homes for the highest price possible, while deferring payment until your home is sold.

But agents should be ready with a list of data-backed home improvement options to increase the sales price. Having the name of a few good contractors on hand is also a great idea.

Help Find a Buyer for Home (11%)

Eleven percent of sellers most want an agent that will help them find a buyer. This need ties directly into a real estate agent’s marketing plan and is also a bit of a given which is likely why it failed to rank higher on the list.

As a Top Producing Central Ohio Listing Agent with over 18 years of experience, a team of professionals (including photographers, stagers, videographer, graphic designers, contractors and tradesman, inspectors and structural engineers, surveyors, mortgage loan officers, title companies, real estate attorneys, etc), as well as an extensive network and excellent relations with other top producing local Realtors, I have the ability to find the right buyer for a seller’s home. Not only will find a buyer, but one who is financially able, will make it to closing, and who is not asking for an outrageous price cut.

What Sellers Want in a Real Estate Agent

Despite what some may think, there’s a lot more to selling a home than just putting a sign in the front yard! Rather an effective marketing campaign requires a comprehensive plan. While marketing and efforts to locate a buyer are an integral part of the process, additional factors such as effectively pricing the and preparing the property for market are just as critical as the agents negotiation skills. As top Central Ohio Listing Agents, we are capable of handling every aspect of the sales process – from strategically marketing and showcasing your home, to making sure everything is signed, sealed and delivered by the closing date, we’ll get the job done and we’ll get it done right!

Providing you with comprehensive, high-quality listing service and selling your home for top dollar in the shortest amount of time possible are our top priorities. So when you decide to sell your home, please contact us and let’s get started!

If you, or someone you know is considering Buying or Selling an Investment Property in Columbus, Ohio please give us a call and we’d be happy to assist you!

The Opland Group Specializes in Real Estate Sales, Luxury Home Sales, Short Sales in; Bexley 43209 Columbus 43201 43206 43214 43215 Delaware 43015 Downtown Dublin 43016 43017 Gahanna 43219 43230 Grandview Heights 43212 Galena 43021 Hilliard 43026 Lewis Center 43035 New Albany 43054 Pickerington 43147 Polaris Powell 43065 Upper Arlington 43220 43221 Westerville 43081 43082 Worthington 43235