Columbia SC Real Estate Blog

Many agents if in the library would fall more in the Fiction section than in the Non-Fiction one. The Agent, Promoter will tell it more of what you want to hear, rather then like it is. Let’s try to dissect the truth from the fiction. To begin, all agents, like people, are not created equal.  Many have integrity and try to do the right thing and many do not. Remember, people are in business primarily to make money, not to serve others and work for nothing. The typical agent only makes money when they close a deal. In the business listings are the best way to get buyers to use your services as an agent to buy your house or another one from your listing agent.

Where does the fiction begin? Typically, it starts with the agent making you think they have more experience and sales then they actually have. A number of agents have one or 2 weeks of training and few sales annually. You may socialize with them, go to church with them, or they may be suggested from a common friend. The facts are these are not good indicators of their ability or success. A better indicator would be some record of their longevity in the business and a computer printout of their prior sales. This is readily available in most MLS’s data banks. Check out the price ranges and locationsthat sales were accomplished by the agent. If the agent gets defensive about sharing this with you, don’t use them. If you are shy about this, blame it on your boss or mother.

The fiction continues when agents tell you that they can get you more than your home is worth. This is rhetoric designed to get the listing. When the house doesn’t sell, the line comes across you are priced too high. They knew it to start with, but they wanted to have the listing to manipulate you to list with them. A way to check on the price objectively is have an independent appraiser appraise the house before you list.

The rest of the stories revolve around marketing. They promise you a lot. Much of it if they do it is worthless as far as getting buyers. It is promotional. Open houses, newspapers, agent open houses, magazines, and e-mails to agents are very improbable ways to get a buyer. The MLS, and the Internet is by far the best shot. Oh by the way, the agents bragging about selling your house almost never does. They list it and someone else sells it.

Now this is the rest of the story. I list over 100 houses a year and I can prove it. Most are sold by other agents which I tell my sellers. Location, price, and condition sell houses more then the listing agent. And, that is a fact, not fiction.

Broker Bob Mandel, Real Estate Advocates Network

Our Principles Come Before Our Profits

The quality of your Columbia SC Real Estate Agent is a function not of how much they talk, but what they say.  Some agents are trained not to talk much when representing buyers, or to weigh their talk carefully so as not to say anything that might dissuade a potential buyer from buying or a seller from listing. You must be careful of those sales people, as they are just that, sales people. They are more full of rhetoric then relevant fact sharing that might make you a more informed decision maker. The more you can be your own advocate the better. You need to arm yourself with as much information as you can about agents and the House selling and buying process. That means searching for relevant information regarding neighborhoods, houses, cities, and agents. If the agent doesn’t give you any negatives about your selection process or caveats, be careful. If they are cavalier or cautious when you ask questions, get yourself another agent. This agent is out to make a sale and not looking out for you.

Here are some sample questions to ask an agent about their background before engaging them. How long have you live in the area? What areas do you work? How many sales have you been involved in the past 3 years? What is the average price home you sell, and the price ranges you work with? Ask for documentation. How long have you had your license? Are you part-time or full-time? Do you work as a team with other agents? Are you a Broker? Do you have kids in school or had kids in public school here? Do you show all agents listings from other companies? What are your normal working hours and days?

Regarding selection of a Columbia Real Estate listing agent, you need to ask specific questions about the market. What are the average days on the market? Are prices holding steady, declining, or rising. What is their marketing experience in your neighborhood? Ask them how they are different from their competition. Make sure you get their withdrawal policy if you chose to withdraw in writing. Do they negotiate on their commissions if they get the buyer, or if you do? Make sure you know what they are paying cooperating agents.

For buying agents, similar questions about backgrounds are appropriate. When showing houses ask them what negatives they see. Some examples would be exterior of the house, driveways, size of garages, landscaping, lot size and shape, style, size of rooms and layout, energy efficiency, taxes, insurance, utilities, age of systems, condition of the home, recommendations for inspections and warranties, neighborhood and area negatives. They will tell you the positives, so you may have to ask for the negatives. Information is power if you use it carefully in your decision-making.