Sarasota Realtor sees little connection between (yesterday’s) questions sellers are supposed to ask an agent about listing their property for sale and today’s market reality.
Sarasota real estate SELLS using integrated marketing, not just MLS, flyers & yard signs!
Would you agree today’s Sarasota real estate market is very different from yesterday’s market?
Choosing a Sarasota Realtor to list your property based SOLELY on an agent’s past performance is nearly meaningless today.
A couple years ago, only realtors who worked closely with investors knew what a short sale is.
Today, realtors making a living in real estate better know about short sales.
Today, a Sarasota Realtor must understand distressed property sales. In other words, a seller facing foreclosure needs a listing agent competent in short sales.
When I came across a list of key questions you’re supposed to ask realty agents when listing your home for sale, I knew I needed to EXPAND the question.
Click Read More below now for the key questions you are supposed to ask prospective listing agents BEFORE you list your property for sale.
TODAY’S DIFFERENT REAL ESTATE ENVIRONMENT
Spring typically is the best time to sell your house.
Unfortunately, “typical” is not typical today, hence “anachronistic” (out of place, out of time). Defaults, short sales & REO’s define today’s Sarasota real estate landscape.
Home sales depend on recent sales of COMPARABLE properties within the past few months and within a close proximity of the subject property.
Realistically, your property’s value negatively might be affected by distressed sales within your community. It makes no difference that your property is in perfect move-in condition versus comparable distressed sales –the only sales– within 3 miles of your property.
What to ask
listing agents?
What follows are typical questions to ask a listing agent:
- Do you specialize in (?) area of real estate? If you need to short sell your property to try to avoid foreclosure, you need a listing agent who specializes in short sales. If you need to sell a beach-front condo, you need a listing agent who specializes in condos…or 55+ communities…or in “Keys” properties, etc. In today’s Sarasota real estate climate, I help homeowners avoid foreclosure, whether the property is a beachfront condo, luxury mansion on the Keys, a mobile home in a 55+ community or a property in a golf-course community.
- What are the names, addresses and phone numbers of your five most recent home sale listings?
- How long have you been selling homes in this area?
- Do you sell real estate full-time?
- What is your minimum listing term? In the “old” days of normal real estate, it’s typical to request no more than a 90-day listing term (though a list agent will request more time). However, if your property faces foreclosure you must accept a much longer term. Ask me to explain by scrolling down & asking your question in the box below, if you’re interested.
- What is your marketing plan for my property? Important: Hopefully, the listing agent you choose knows how to market your property on Craig’s list, Twitter, Facebook, Google, Bing, Yahoo, et al. It’s not enough today to inform the market your property on/using the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), www.realtor.com, flyers, postcards, & a yard sign. Some listing agents think it’s “good marketing” to spam all local agents with email flyers of your listing. Do you like getting spammed?
- How many listings do you have now?
- I have a short sale. Do you negotiate your own short sales or do you outsource? What is your approval and sales success rates? What are the addresses of your most recent 5 approved and sold short sales?
- What commission do you require? If it’s a short sale, it doesn’t matter. You don’t pay a penny toward my commission when I’m your listing agent. In fact, I try to negotiate a CLEAN approval from your mortgage debt owner(s) so you pay ZERO. However, keep in mind what you might have to pay depends on you. If you need to short sell, you will need to prove hardship to the debt owner. One suggestion is not to show high credit limits on any credit cards. I can assure you, debt owners see unused credit limit as CASH. Forget that this sounds outrageous. It is what it is. This is just one example of my experience in and knowledge of short sales.
If your Sarasota real estate is not in pre-foreclosure, you still must choose a listing agent more than just familiar with short sales. Whether or not you know it, distressed properties will compete with your property.
Last year’s “top producing” listing agent might not have a clue about listing short sales.
In the past, you might have picked a certain big-name real estate company or an agent with a big-name real estate company to sell your property for you or to serve as your buyer’s agent.
Today, that strategy might not be “best” for you, unless that agent or brokerage company specializes in your situation. Name alone isn’t getting it done in this beleaguered Sarasota real estate market.
Call me now if you want to buy a home in or around Sarasota and/or you (need) to sell a house in or around Sarasota.
Sarasota realtors must understand and have experience in today’s real estate market. Even if your property is not “distressed,” your property might be compared with distressed properties. Having to sell is very different from wanting to sell. Have a question or comment about listing a house in today’s market? Scroll down to comment or ask a question. I will respond.
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