Thread: Choice of Realtor

The more people exposed to your property the better your chance of selling it. So what you want to look for is someone who is going to put your property in the MLS and on a bunch of sites on the internet.

Make sure you find someone who knows how to market property like yours.

The best way to search for an agent is to pretend your a buyer and start searching the internet for a property like yours and see who stands out. Locate a couple of agents and interview them to see which one is the best fir.

In today's internet day and age, a seller really wants to find a top real estate agent and brokerage with a strong internet presence. Being able to get the home listed onto the MLS, as well as all of the various national sites (Realtor.com, Trulia.com, etc), as well as the broker and agents personal websites can mean the difference in overall traffic on the listing.

I would contact a few agents and brokers in the area and see who has a solid track record of selling and closing homes. Plugging in with that top agent, even if he or she is not "local" can help a seller get the property sold.

When a seller does meet with an agent, it is important to ask what items the agent will do to market the home.

Absolutely! You should contact a few of the larger realtors as they're more likely to have the resources to service property at greater distances from the city.

Be sure to check any agreements that you enter into as you may not want to restrict yourself solely to their services given the distance.

I agree with the posts above in that finding an agent who is active online is key. I live and work in an area where many of the buyers are from all over the world and the agents who have experience online are the ones who bring in the buyers!

I also think there is a demand for self sustaining properties (at least here in CA) and your property certainly sounds like a great opportunity for that. Just remember there is a buyer for every property if that property is priced to sell. Price is most important!

It seems to me that the first question you need to ask is "Why has my property been on the market for three years?" Of course, I don't know your market, but this seems like a very long time. Have you had offers during that time? What marketing is your current agent doing?

I suggest you start by talking to the agent you're currently with. What marketing have they done? What price do they believe the property is saleable at? How does that compare with your current price? Is there anything that can be done to improve the presentation?

My experience of selling similar properties (in New Zealand) is that people in large towns who are looking for country homes such as this, usually seek out the areas they want, either using the internet, or contacting agencies in the area they want to buy.

If you do decide to go with a different agency, be careful to check out any cancellation procedures with the existing one, and make sure that the agent you choose has actual experience in the type of property you're selling, and preferably the location, as well. In real estate, knowledge of the facts are the key to a successful sale.

Good luck!