You’ve decided to sell your home and move into something better for you and your family. But now, you have to find the perfect real estate agent to assist you with the process of selling your home and finding a new home.
Working with a real estate agent in Massachusetts can be a bit daunting, especially if this is the first time you’re buying or selling a home. Let’s explore a few things you need to know when working with a real estate agent.
1. Less Stress
Working with a real estate agent can be a less stressful process, as they will take on all the hard work, where you get left with the bare minimum.
Your real estate agent will help with the listing, showing, and marketing of your home. They will handle all the negotiations on your behalf if there are any bids, including the contract signing, and ensures the process runs smoothly until closing.
2. Real Estate Agents Aren’t Cheap
Using a real estate agent isn’t cheap. Estate agents generally get paid 4-6% commission on the sale of your home, and then you still have to cover the costs for marketing, open houses, staging, professional photographs, etc. Ensure your real estate agent is transparent in terms of their work before you sign a contract.
Along with the commission that’s payable to a real estate agent, there are other fees to consider:
- Additional real estate agent fees – There are instances where the real estate agent will charge additional fees for the entire sales transaction. This can include a listing fee, advertising fees, or administrative fees. Make sure you have enough research when looking for a real estate agent in Massachusetts. You want transparency with costs at all times.
- Closing fees – Along with the fees and commission payable to your real estate agent, be aware of other costs involved. Costs to look out for include appraisal fees, taxes, title search, etc.
3. You’ll Make More Money
Working together with a licensed real estate agent can result in you getting a higher sales price for your home. Real estate agents are knowledgeable about marketing houses to their full potential, which makes buyers want your home.
Along with their marketing skills, real estate agents are excellent negotiators, negotiating getting top dollar for your home. However, don’t forget about the commission paid to your real estate agent after negotiating a higher price, which will reduce your profit!
4. They are Excellent Marketers
Real estate agents are excellent marketers and can market your home to its full potential. Your estate agent will get professional photographers to take appealing pictures of your home to add to an online listing. The internet is typically the first place potential buyers go to when looking for a new home, so your realtor needs to make your home stand out online.
Your estate agent should know how to market your home on social media sites like Facebook and Pinterest. Social media marketing spreads the word faster and will bring foot traffic to your home.
Real estate agents know what type of print material is the best option for you, so they can provide marketing material to use when marketing your home.
Before choosing a real estate agent, ask your potentials to give you an idea of what you can expect when marketing your home.
5. Respect Your Real Estate Agent’s Time
Real estate agents generally work over weekends and evenings, and you want to ensure you accommodate their schedules. You are probably not the only client they have, so be mindful of their time.
Ask your estate agent to give you the best times to reach out to them so that you can avoid bothering them in their downtime or while they are at another open house.
6. Your Home Must Stay Clean
Working with a real estate agent means that your home must remain clean at all times, as potential buyers might need to view your home at odd hours of the day or evening. You want to avoid coming home after a long day at work and still needing to clean up and remove the clutter.
Some agents will notify you 30 minutes before they bring a potential buyer to your home, and you want to stay prepared at all times and not lose out on a sale.
7. Have Etiquette at Open Houses
If you’re in the market for a new house, talk to your real estate agent to go with you to a few open houses, as some don’t like it when you go alone. Most open houses are for realtors only and get referred to as a “broker’s open,” and it’s not standard practice for a potential buyer to show up unannounced.
If your real estate agent doesn’t mind you going to open houses without them, then keep a few of their business cards on hand. If you see a home you like, give your estate agent’s business card to the listing agent who is in charge of the open house, and they will ensure to contact your agent directly instead of calling you.
Let your estate agent know about the home in which you’re interested so that they can research the house and the neighborhood, etc.
8. Let Them Finalize all the Loose Ends
There’s plenty of work that goes into selling a home, and a real estate agent can take of all the finer details on your behalf. The less work you get to do, the better.
The best agents will go the extra mile for you and will always have your best interests at heart. Let them take care of all the obligations that come with buying and selling a home.
Need a Real Estate Agent in Massachusetts?
If you want to sell your home or are looking for a new home to buy, get in touch with us today!
We have licensed real estate agents to assist you every step of the way. We will take care of all the hard work for you to get your house listed and sold in no time.
Contact us if you would like a free home valuation or choose to sell your home for cash (and skip the traditional home selling process) instead by calling or texting 781-309-7085.