Setting clear expectations and doing the groundwork for a successful relationship with your agent will ensure your selling and buying experience is stress-free and can even be fun!
Even if you’ve considered several different agents before deciding who to go with, it’s still important to dedicate time and effort in order to forge a mutual understanding. Communication is a two-way street and both our roles in this relationship are equally important.
As your agent, it helps me to understand your reasons for selling and your financial circumstances or employment situation. It will help me mitigate any stress you may be under.
My assumption is always that you’re seeking the best possible price in the shortest possible time. So it’s how we work together to achieve those results that will determine your satisfaction.
Here are eight tips for creating a great relationship:
- Let me know your expectations around price, time on market, and the regularity with which you’d like me to communicate with you. Be clear on how you wish to hear from me whether that is phone, email, or face-to-face.
- Be open to my feedback. It’s designed to get you the highest possible price for your home.
- Let’s agree on how to handle any miscommunication, disagreement or dispute in advance. As an experienced, high-quality real estate agent, I have a fair resolution process for such (rare!) circumstances.
- We’ll discuss how you’d like me to relay prospective offers to you.
- Be open to feedback on your home. It’s based on my professional knowledge of what else is on the market, buyer insights and how the market is performing.
- Let’s get agreement on photography, marketing, improvements and any styling, plus any costs that may need to be incurred and the role of digital and social media advertising.
- Ask how I’ll approach prospective buyers on my database to sell your property
- Make clear the times when it is convenient for inspections and how much notice you need of their arrival. That will help me work around your schedule.