10 Questions To Ask An Agent Before Listing Your Property
The days of simply putting a 'For Sale' sign in the yard at PGA West and then listing the home on the local Desert Area MLS® are long gone. With the advent of the Internet, and technology in general, the real estate industry continues to change rapidly. Are you considering an agent that will market your PGA West home and your PGA West community to its fullest potential?
Here's 10 Questions To Consider Asking:
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Can you send me more information about you? You can often get a good idea of which agents are the most professional by looking at their promotional materials and their real estate websites. If their own materials aren’t professional and stand out, how well are they going to be able to market your PGA West home? Also, be aware of how long each agent takes to respond to your request and how quickly they follow up. If they don’t respond efficiently to your listing requests imagine how they’ll handle inquires from potential buyers or other agents.
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Do you have an assistant or support staff? By employing specialists to handle the details of their business including marketing and advertising, the agent can spend more time servicing your needs and being available when you have questions or just want an update.
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Do you provide a customized written marketing plan for each listing? Without a written marketing plan you won’t know how effectively your property is being marketing. A written plan also helps you keep track of any marketing promises that were made.
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Do you utilize a professional photographer to shoot magazine quality photos, or do you take listing photos yourself? If the agent takes his/her own photos your home will not likely stand out from the crowd and the overall marketing package will look less professional than had the agent assigned the photography to a professional. Unprofessional photos of your property and less than 25 online photos are simply unacceptable.
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Will my property be featured on an exclusive custom webpage and PGA West website? And if so, can you show me current online examples of others you have? You’re looking for a professional marketing presentation of each of the agent’s properties and the community where your property is located.
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What kind of on-going communication and feedback is offered? Today’s top agents provide excellent communication and feedback, keeping your informed at all times of your marketing results and property showings.
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How many active buyers is your team currently working with? The more active buyer clients your agent and his/her team have, the better. Top agents have a good mix of representing both buyers and selles.
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How many transactions have you completed in the last 12 months? You're looking for experience in negotiating and closing sales, not just showing a lot of properties. 24% of the active agents in the Palm Springs real estate market did not complete a single transaction in 2010. The average agent only completes seven transaction per year! It’s hard to stay on top of things professionally if you only work at it just a few times each year.
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What types of things separate you from your competition? PGA West agents who are innovative and offer new methods of attracting buyers will measurably outperform agents who rely on outdated methods of the past such as newspaper ads. Marketing effectively today requires progressive strategies that add value and service for both buyers and sellers and reach the largest pool of qualified buyers possible! Informative blogs, social marketing and online video are just three examples of media that today's top agents utilize.
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Lastly, find out how many years of sales experience your agent has had. Finding an experienced and busy agent is important. The top 20% of agents generate 80% or more of today's PGA West sales.
If you find a PGA West agent that meets all of these qualifications, consider yourself being served by a true professional. Your home will be marketed to the largest possible audience and allow you to get the highest price for your home!
