The choice of real estate agent is decisive for the sale or purchase of your property. With a multitude of real estate agencies on the market, it is not easy to make the right choice. Here are some key points you need to consider in order to find the right professional for you.
Find an agency nearby
When you want to sell a home, the criterion of proximity to your real estate agent is the first to take into account. Whether your property is in an urban area or in the countryside, you should choose a nearby real estate agency. Why is this important?
Knowledge of the field is one of the key factors in the efficiency of a real estate agency. Whether in a city or in a village, there are several factors that are specific to the environment and that a real estate agent, present on site, masters better than anyone else. The latter therefore knows the potential of your home and the solutions necessary to enhance it. It will also help you set a reasonable and advantageous price. If you choose an agent who is not close to your accommodation and who does not have a good command of the land, you may be disappointed.
The same is true if you are looking for real estate to buy. To benefit from the advantages offered by a real estate agency in Albi, you can, for example, call on Pastel Immo . This agency offers you an innovative concept that allows you to buy various real estate without stressing. With Pastel Immo:
- The fees are calculated according to the surface of the property;
- Well-detailed virtual tours are offered;
- Customers have access to à la carte services.
With the agency’s services, you can just pay for virtual tours or just advertise a property for sale.
Consult the opinions of former customers
To have a clearer idea of the professionalism of the real estate agent and to know if he provides quality services, customer reviews will be of great use to you. You can consult customer reviews on the window of the real estate agency or on its website. You will see if he has a reputation for satisfying his customers or not, by reading the reviews.
If you think written customer reviews aren’t reliable enough to judge the agent’s expertise, you can always ask them to provide you with customer addresses. You can contact them directly and use the courtesy to collect their feedback.
Make sure that the real estate agent has a professional card
Before using the services of a real estate agent, you should always make sure that he has a valid business card. In reality, any real estate agent is required to hold a professional card issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. When your real estate agent has a professional card, you have the guarantee that he is qualified to exercise the profession. This also proves that he meets the criteria for access to this profession and that he therefore has the necessary skills to satisfy you. Note that your agent’s employees must also hold professional cards.
Check that it is a specialist
There are different types of real estate. To sell or buy each type of property, it is essential to implement suitable solutions. For example, you can use an agent for the sale of:
- A studio ;
- A flat ;
- A two-room apartment;
- A family house;
- A professional building.
Check that the real estate agent has the skills to sell the property you are entrusting. You can do this by checking, for example, what goods he has already sold or is selling. Also ask for information on the time it will take to sell your property on the market considering the price set.To set the price of your property , it is essential to let yourself be guided by your real estate agent. If the listing price is overstated, it could drag out the sale. Either way, the agent helps you set a reasonable price that doesn’t put you at a disadvantage.
Opt for a network rather than an individual real estate agent
Many owners wonder if a network or group of real estate agents is more effective than an individual agent. If you are faced with this dilemma, know that a real estate agent who participates in a group or a franchise network generally has more effective methods than the individual agent. The network agent is more likely to find you a buyer or a property according to your needs on time. In addition, you benefit from certain additional advantages:
- Better rates for the establishment of technical diagnoses;
- Concierge services;
- Resale guarantee.
Choose an experienced agent
It is true that the professionalism and effectiveness of an agent’s methodical approach do not necessarily depend on the time he has spent in the field. Nevertheless, the experienced real estate agent is better placed to estimate the price of the property, secure the sale legally, advise you, organize visits and sell faster.Due to his knowledge of the market and his experience built up over the years, he has a complete list of potential buyers to sell your property as soon as possible.
Request details of the property sale process
The effectiveness of your agent’s announcement and publicity techniques is crucial in selling the property. Whether or not your property will be sold, it basically depends on the promotion and display of the ads. Therefore, you should ask for information about the agent’s means of promoting your ad. A real estate agency can use:
- Personal showcase sites;
- Well-known real estate portals;
- Advertisements in the press;
- Magazine advertisements
- Ads on social networks.
Since the internet has become an essential research tool, it is essential that your ad is there so that you can quickly find a customer. Either way, demand that your agent keep you informed of the means used to promote your property and the results achieved.
Evaluate human contact
You must necessarily choose the real estate agent with whom you have had the best contact, this is essential. In reality, the relationship between a seller and his agent is one of trust. For this, it is essential to assess human contact and to make your choice accordingly. Throughout the sales process, you will be asked to interact with your agent. If you don’t feel comfortable with the agent, look elsewhere. It is also recommended to meet other members of the team and have a brief chat with them. This will allow you to have a clear idea of their team spirit, their level of involvement and the atmosphere that reigns.
Choosing the right mandate during a sale
There are different types of mandates that can bind you to your real estate agency. Choosing your mandate is very important and that is why you should know the implications before doing so. Note that each mandate has advantages and disadvantages that you should be aware of. This will help you find the best fit for your property.
The simple mandate
The simple mandate can be considered as the one which is the least constraining and which gives you the most freedom as regards your relations with the real estate agent. When you choose the simple mandate, it means that you can always sell the property yourself if the opportunity arises, without fear of litigation. You can also entrust the sale of your property to other agents to increase the odds in your side.
The exclusive mandate
The exclusive mandate is the most restrictive and the most restrictive of the mandates, because you no longer have the right to use another real estate agent. Here, only one agent is authorized to take care of the sale of your property, at least during a given period. However, it should be noted that the exclusive mandate despite its constraints is the most efficient there is. You have the possibility of negotiating the period of validity of this mandate and thus being able to resort to another agent if the first one does not manage to sell the good within the time interval envisaged.
The semi-exclusive mandate
Here is a good compromise between the simple mandate and the exclusive mandate. With the semi-exclusive mandate, the exclusivity of the sale is guaranteed to a single agency. However, you reserve the right to sell your property if you find a lessee. If this happens, you will not have to pay any commission, unless it is stated in the contract.
The co-exclusive mandate
The co-exclusive mandate is rare and is reserved for agencies which also take care of the sale of private individual. If you accept that the agency intervenes in the sale of private individual , you pay compensation to the agency in the event of deviation from this condition.
Take into account agency fees
Regarding agency fees, they depend on the costs of the techniques and means deployed to give you satisfaction:
- Visits;
- Estimate;
- Advertising…
You can therefore negotiate the agency fees directly with your real estate agent. Generally, the agent receives between 5 and 8% of the value of the property. However, you must find out whether the agency fees are taken into account by the seller or the buyer. You should also take a look at the scale of services which has been displayed on the window or on the agency’s website since the decree of January 10, 2017.
What to remember? It is not always easy to choose your real estate agent from a large number of providers. Reread these few tips if necessary to make an optimal choice.