"Skip, does it matter what company an agent works with?" Yes! An agent will only be as flexible as the brokerage he works with. You may ask, "Why do I care?" Well, for instance, if the Brokerage only allows the agents to split the commission on the MLS to the cooperating brokerage, let's just say at 2.5%, even if you agree to list at 7% or 8%, then that would be a bad deal for you. Or, what if the brokerage requires a transaction fee ranging up to $500 dollars--which the agent can't change. There are a lot of things the brokerage that an agent works with may impose that will affect the client in adverse or positive ways. If the brokerage is supportive on training and new technology, then your agent will remain on the cutting edge--allowing him to service your needs at the highest level possible. Does the brokerage impose a large fee to withdraw the contract? Does the brokerage charge a fee to the buyers to submit a contract?
"So, what are you saying? Should I pick an agent based on the Brokerage they work with or by how much I like the agent?" Well...BOTH! You need to love your agent, and you need to understand his brokerage and the limitations they have set on the agents they have chosen to work with. If you don't like the arrangement...find a new agent.
Here we go again, Skip...you don't seem to understand. I hired you to sell my house not reorganize my kitchen!
When you hired me, you hired me to get you to the closing table.
Yes, yes I know. I want you to sell my house, but what in the world does my refrigerator magnets have to do with it?
When a buyer enters a home, they want a clean canvas to work from. They really do not care that little Billy is good at coloring. So, keep in mind that big white box in your kitchen is a huge part of how much the buyers are going to like your kitchen...CLEAN it off! You also need to clear your kitchen counters. You know the spice rack you got when you moved in...and still, to this day, the spices have the wrappers on them! Buyers want to have a large amount of counter space. If your toaster, coffee maker, bread machine, spice rack, and three months of bills are on the counters, they won't be able to see how much space they will have to prepare the Christmas dinner in their beautiful, new house this year. Clean...clean...clean. Make it spotless. Who wants to buy a house that has a dirty kitchen?
If you have priced your home correctly, you should only have to keep it spotless for a short period of time...We will talk price in a later post!
One more thought...Go ahead and pack. You know you are moving right, so if you are not going to use it, then go ahead and pack it. This will allow the buyers to see the true potential of the space. Always keep in mind the fact that you only have a few seconds to woo the buyers...use the time well!
As the old story goes, the tortoise wins the race after the lazy hare falls asleep during the middle of the race. Ok, Skip, where are you going with this? I have found there are many different "styles" of agents. As an agent, you can be fast out of the gate but not have the endurance to run the race. Yet, on the other end of the spectrum, there are many agents who fail to get excited enough to get the job done.
So what does that mean? Well, I would say you need balance--somewhere between the tortoise and the hare. What is balance? Being excited, prepared, and knowledgeable. Excited about the opportunity to work together to reach your goals. You see, your goals are what we use to gauge how we are going to attack all the challenges of buying and selling homes. Your goals dictate how fast or how slow we need to proceed. Prepared means ready to go...I have done my homework and am ready for the test. Just like a man heading out to do battle, I need to have already studied the battlefield and have a plan as to what we are going to do to reach your goals. Knowledgeable has the idea that this is not my first rodeo. I have faced the trial before and have come out victorious. The challenges that are about to face us are not going to stop us because I have faced them before and overcome them previously. Just like if you went on a safari in South America, you would need a guide--someone who knew the ropes. Real Estate is the same idea....Let me be that guide in your Pensacola Home Safari!
Let me just start this by saying I have been known by many of my closest friends and family to make statements like I love a good hurricane, or I sure hope it comes here! I know, I know what you are thinking...CRAZY...Is this guy out of his mind? The answer to that question may...no...no WILL depend on who you ask. You may also ask what constitutes a "good" hurricane. Well, I would definitely say where nobody is hurt or killed, but I also realize that is a tall order. Because we live here on the beautiful Gulf Coast of Florida--you know, warm, sunny beaches, beautiful sunsets and HURRICANES are "all part and parcel of the whole genie gig" (from Aladdin just in case that one slipped by ya). I have lived here long enough to see a huge amount of destruction caused by hurricanes, and yet I still live here. I will also add here, for all you readers who are now thinking they are just crazy for living in a place you can even have hurricanes, let's just go back a few weeks to our Capital where they had a big earthquake, or Missouri & Oklahoma where they had devastating tornadoes...so, just try to keep in mind that down here I get about a weeks' warning before a hurricane is going to come anywhere near here...not so much on the tornado and earthquake side! I would also like to reference my other post on how to prepare for a hurricane...if you live here, you need to know how to be ready.
The topic we are talking about today is closing your real-estate transaction while there is a storm in the Gulf...not likely going to happen, unless you get this information that I'm offering. You see, if there is a storm in the Gulf, you can't get to the closing table because the insurance companies will not write a policy, or shall we say, start your new policy until the storm is safely past. So what to do...down here when you have a contract on a house during hurricane season, go ahead and lock your policy in (i.e. pay for it) and then you will be allowed to close. Long story short--seek the help of a good agent to avoid the many pitfalls in real estate--you won't be sorry you did!
There are a lot of things that must take place in a real estate transaction...but getting to the closing table has got to rank pretty high on everybody's list!
Okay, so we have battled our way to the end of our home search--it's down to the wire. The question is, can the closer come through and score a touch down. Well, this all depends on who is going to get us into the end zone. Let us liken this to a football game; we are in the fourth quarter, and down to seconds left on the clock. The quarterback is the one who is responsible for making it happen...get the ball into the end zone--and in the real estate game, it is the closer who is the "star receiver" of the game. As we have all seen, some games are a blowout, and you can bring out your third-string players when you have a huge lead, with no fear of losing your lead. Now, here in the real estate game, the problem is...you are never so far ahead that you can let your guard down. But, you say, Skip I thought it all relied on you as my agent to "get us into the end zone"...correct! But keeping in the football analogy, I am the quarterback. I have to throw the football in the last seconds, and it is up to the star receiver to put the ball in the breadbasket, and get it into the end zone without fumbling the ball. If you are the buyer or the seller in the transaction then this may be the Superbowl to you...are you willing to bring out your third string players and risk losing the game? I should hope not! So, why would you choose any less than the best to get you to the closing table? Hey, right here I could bore you with the vetting process; but needless to say, experence is the way to tell who to choose and not to choose. Let your agent help, he knows the closers and has had previous experience and interaction with many closers. Through the years I have had the entire spectrum from Stellar to "well not going to be able to get this to close because I didn't do my job". Remember you hired me to get you into the end zone...let me help make sure we get there!
