How to List a House With a Real Estate Agent
One of the first steps in selling your home will most likely be to list your home with a real estate agent. It has become more common to try to sell your home yourself in the hopes of avoiding paying a commission. Either way, it is always a good idea to at least meet with a realtor, as they are experts in getting the most money for your sale.
The best way to find a reputable real estate agent is through word of mouth. If you know of someone who has moved recently then ask them whom they used and what they liked or did not like about their agent. There are also quite a few sites out there now who offer people an opportunity to review their real estate agent; this can be a helpful tool. Real estate agents are salespeople first and their reputation is the best advertising they have. A great site to check for real estate agents in your area is Zillow.
Once you have found a real estate agent that you are comfortable with, they will want to do a walk-through of your property. They will give you advice about things that you may want to fix or clean up prior to listing your home. Don't take it personally; once you decide to sell your home it is best to think of it as no longer your home but an asset. They are trying to get the most money for you out of the sale.
A good realtor will come to the walk-through with a market analysis of your home in-hand. They should have researched comparable properties in your area so that you will have the information needed to set the best and most reasonable price for your property.
Most real estate agents will not work for you without a written contract, and many states require it. This contract is called the Seller Listing Agreement and will outline the responsibilities of both you and the agent. It will be very specific regarding the price your house will list for and what the marketing plan will be, including the MLS listing and open houses. Read over the contract carefully as many have stipulations about how long you are under contract with the agent and what time frame you would have to wait before listing with someone else if it doesn't work out. This contract also contains commission information, and remember this is negotiable.
Get you house ready to sell. Once you have staged the house, the agent will most likely come back and take pictures of the house for posting online. They may set up your first open house at that time as well.
You will be spending a lot of time with your real estate agent during this stressful and hopefully short time. Find someone you are comfortable with so the whole process can go more smoothly.