CHOOSING A REALTOR TO SELL YOUR HOME

By DR. RUTH MIRON-SCHLEIDER
Recipient of NJAR Circle of Excellence Award
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Selling your home may be a relatively smooth and easy process. It may also be a long and complex journey, fraught with financial and legal risks. Selecting an experienced, well-established realtor will greatly enhance your chances of selling your home quickly and profitably, with the most favorable terms and conditions.

You can expect your Realtor to perform many tasks on your behalf:

Help you price your home correctly.
Market your home (suggest easy ways to make your home more attractive, put up a lawn sign that is consistent with local ordinances; develop and pay for display and classified ads in a variety of newspapers and magazines; enter your listing into a variety of Internet sites as well as the Multiple Listing Service; take photos of your property and prepare fact sheets; and hold open houses for both realtors and the public).
Network through direct mailing and communications with relocation companies and community organizations.
Show your home (screen buyers, make appointments and follow-up all showings).
Negotiate both price and terms of all offers on your behalf.
Communicate regularly with your attorney, buyer’s realtor and lender, and all other involved parties, ensuring all steps are executed in an appropriate, correct and timely fashion.
Coordinate all details of the house inspection, bank appraisal, final walk-through, and settlement (time, date and place of closing).

Unless you are already working with a realtor, you may wish to meet with two or three professionals prior to selecting the right one for you. Here are some questions for your introductory interviews:

How long have you been licensed?
What professional designations and awards have you earned?
Are you a member of any professional associations?
What is your track record for selling homes in this area?
How actively will you work to sell my home?
What kind of marketing plan will you employ?
How often can I expect to get a progress report?
Can you provide the names of at least three previous clients as references?

Selling your home takes a lot of hard work and professional know-how. Making even a small mistake can sometimes spell serious trouble. By working with a trustworthy and experienced realtor, you will gain the services of a skilled professional with advanced training and expertise in residential sales. Pick a Realtor who is not only responsive to your needs and circumstances, but also one who is familiar with the market conditions in your area and has an established track record and references from satisfied clients. The right Realtor will work closely with you and will be able to recommend other professionals you will need. Your realtor will coordinate and oversee all aspects of your transaction, from A to Z.

Good luck and happy home selling !!!

Ruth Miron-Schleider, a 33-year resident of Bergen County, is a Certified Residential Specialist, an e-PRO Internet Professional and an Accredited Buyer Representative. She is a member of the Eastern Bergen Board of REALTORS®, National Association of Counselors, the Senior Advantage Real Estate Council, and the Graduate Realtor Institute. For a complimentary consultation, call her at MIRON PROPERTIES, 201.266.8555, or contact Ruth via e-mail: Miron@MironProperties.com.

Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed, subject to errors and omissions.
No parts of these articles may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.