It can be difficult to sell a home in a bad economy. However, it can be even harder if your real estate agent isn’t doing her job. The truth is not all real estate agents are cut out for the job. This means your house can set on the market for months. As frustrating as it may be to find a new agent, it may be what you need to do to sell your house. Here are just five signs that you need a different real estate agent.
Failure to Advertise
A good real estate agent will use the proper methods to advertise your home. Whether this means posting the listing online, holding open houses or posting ads on telephone polls, he will do what it takes to get the word out about your home. A good real estate agent also uses many methods and updates the advertisements as necessary.
Doesn’t Put in Enough Effort
A real estate agent should take several photos of your home, write thorough descriptions and do the research to find out how much the home should list for. If your agent claims that he doesn’t have time to thoroughly market each home. It may be time to find someone who does. Your home will never sale if people aren’t incited to come see it and we all know that pictures are worth a thousand words.
Hard to Reach
It should not take days to get a call back from your agent. You have hired her to sell your home and if it takes a week to reach him about changing the price of the home, you’re wasting time. The longer your home sits, the worse off you’ll be. You need an agent that returns your calls in a timely manner because days could mean hundreds of dollars on additional mortgage payments.
Pushiness
Your real estate agent should never push you into a decision you are not happy with. If she tries to make you list your home for lower than you are comfortable with, even though similar homes have sold for that price, you should question her tactics. If all she wants is a quick sale, at the cost of your money, it may be time to move on.
Lack of Knowledge
If knowledge in real estate wasn’t necessary, you would be selling your home yourself. A real estate agent should be knowledgeable about comparable sales, real estate laws, advertising methods and selling tactics. If you find that you know more than the agent, find a new one.
Most people cannot afford to waste time with a real estate agent that doesn’t take his job seriously. Days count when it comes to selling your home. This means you need an agent that puts in hard work, is knowledgeable and is easy to reach.
About the Author: Bulah Terhorst specializes in personal finance and home loans, helping individuals review their finances to ensure they are capable of making a purchase before they sign on the dotted line.
