The First 3 Steps A Real Estate Agent Takes When Helping You Sell Your Home
Before your home listing appears on the MLS, your real estate agent must complete a few necessary steps. If you are preparing to sell your house, you might be wondering what steps your agent will take. Here are the first three steps you should expect from your real estate agent.
1. Perform an Analysis of Your Home
Most agents will perform research on a home before visiting it. This process helps the agent determine the home's value. Agents call this a comparative market analysis (CMA). Your agent will bring the CMA to your home when meeting with you and will explain it to you. The CMA compares your house to other properties and suggests an asking price based on this information. When your agent explains it to you, you can use the suggested price the agent offers or choose a different amount.
2. Visit Your Home
The second thing the agent will do is visit your home. This visit serves several purposes. The first purpose is to meet you and discuss the sale of your home. The second purpose is to determine the condition of your home. Agents like viewing homes before they list them so they can see what they offer. During this visit, your agent will explain what you need to do to the house before selling. You can take the advice seriously and make changes, or you could ignore it and sell the house as-is. It is helpful to take their advice and make the necessary changes. Making these changes can help you find a buyer faster, so you might want to follow your agent's advice.
3. Complete the Listing Agreement
The third thing your agent will do is complete the listing agreement. A listing agreement is a contract between you and the agent you hire. This agreement states the facts of the arrangement, such as the start date, length of contract, and commission rate. Your agent might ask you to fill out several other documents during this visit, including a full-disclosure form. These documents are necessary for listing a home with a real estate agent, and you should make sure you understand them before signing.
After you sign the listing agreement, your agent will send a photographer to your home to take professional pictures. Within a few days after that, your agent will post the listing on the MLS and will start receiving calls from potential buyers for your property.
If you're ready to sell your home, reach out to a real estate agent in your area to start the process.
Real estate purchases are big purchases. You may pay several hundred thousand dollars, or even more, for a property. As such, there's not a lot of room for error. If you buy a house that needs a lot of unexpected work or end up in over your head when it comes to the mortgage, your dream home can quickly turn into a nightmare house. We want to help you avoid scenarios like that, which is why we share so much information about real estate on this blog. Our readers emerge more informed on a wide array of topics, from buying to closing.