Choosing a Real Estate Agent

Choosing a Real Estate Agent

Tips for a Successful Sale of Your Home
In South St. Louis County

The average homeowner in South St. Louis County will spend over $10,000 in fees to sell their home. It pays to do some homework prior to listing your home with a real estate agent. Follow this advice and you will save yourself a lot of trouble and perhaps a little money.
The most important thing you can do is to interview several potential agents. Don’t stop at one! You must compare. This is the time when agents must really compete and you need to let them.
I normally don’t recommend two types of agents: Relatives/ Friends and agents that advertise in the Call Newspapers. I’m not saying never use them, but you should understand the pitfalls.
The reason I don’t recommend relatives or friends is I don’t like to hire someone I can’t fire. If you think your wife’s cousin will be disappointed in you for not listing with her, imagine the fuss she’d make if you cut her loose after not successfully closing on your sale. The reasons I can’t recommend an agent that advertises in the Call are numerous. The main one is that today’s housing market demands speed. This weakly paper is not really printing the news, they are printing history and not doing a very good job of it. Additionally, they have some serious questions surrounding their integrity. I don’t know why a reputable agent would want to be associated with it. You’re better off choosing an agent that’s up to date and cares about his/her reputation.