HOW MANY AGENTS SHOULD YOU CALL?
How many agents should you call when selling your home?
It is quite common for a homeowner to call several realtors prior to putting a house on
the market. Many people say that they will go with the agent who "offers them the best
price".
It is important to remember that the realtor is not buying the home. Realtors should
usually be fairly close in their evaluations, as they all have the same market information,
namely recent sales of comparable properties. However, the figures they provide may
sometimes be too low or too high if the realtor is not in touch with the market. Nobody
knows what a property will ultimately sell for until it has had exposure to the market.
It is natural to hope for a high price, but another matter entirely to actually get that high
price on the open market if it is not supported by the facts of recent comparable area
sales and current market conditions. A realtor may be overly enthusiastic about a
property and suggest a price that is unrealistic. If the asking price is too high, the critical
initial impact on the market is lost. The house may finally sell for a lower price than it
would have got if an accurate asking price had been set at the start.
It is the seller's responsibility to assess the information presented, to judge the credibility
and professionalism of the realtor, and to set an asking price that will help get the best
possible selling price.
If you need to talk to several realtors before you feel comfortable in choosing one to
represent you, then that is the right thing for you to do. However, you might talk to only
one realtor and decide to proceed because you feel confident that realtor will represent
your best interests. Then, with the help of your realtor, you can decide on an asking
price based on current market conditions.
MICHELE ROWE, Sales Representative
Direct Line: (613) 794-2899 - Office: (613) 829-1818
[email protected] - www.TheOttawaHomes.com