Not every house sells in 90 days. And, if you ask top producers, the main reason is the price. Yet, real estate markets are not so simple. Many agents invest thousands of dollars in your listing. If it doesn’t sell, the risk and loss to the agent are high. Whether your house sells or not, is not a reason to let your agent go and try a new one. Here are my thoughts as to why you should stick with your agent.
One: Professional Marketing. Did the agent use professional HD photos? Was the listing posted on the top real estate sites? Were the listing details compelling and accurate? Did the property look good? Many agents cut corners to save money and these short cuts and omissions can reduce exposure and cost you money. Selling property requires good marketing. Your listing does not need to appear in every magazine in town (in fact, print is the last place I would post) but the marketing plan needs to look good and cover the bases.
Two: Regular Reports and Contact. Do you get the “stats” on your listing? How is it doing in regards to page views, internet hits and likes? How has the data changed since the listing start date? How is it tracking now? The best thing about internet marketing is 100% of it is traceable. All clicks lead back to the listing and the “data” does not lie. You NEED this information. It will help you understand if you are priced correctly and if there is buyer action in your area and so much more. You should also get feedback from showings. Some say feedback is not really helpful. The best feedback is an offer of course!
Three: Your agent is full time and active in the area. I live in a unique area. So do you. My neighbour listed their house with an agent from a different town about 30 miles away. Not a long distance but far enough that the agent does not show or sell in our area much, if ever. The house was listed slightly overpriced in a heat of the market last year. A minor adjustment in price and the house could have sold. Instead, more than a year later, it’s sitting there. While I don’t know the seller’s motivation, I see this often. Hiring the local expert and one who works at the profession full-time is always prudent.
Staying loyalty to your full-time agent is the best gift you can give. Working by contingency (getting paid if something happens) is a hard road and many people just can’t handle the ups and downs. Giving your agent an extension, price change or relist is a solid strategy. It shows them that you respect their advice and appreciate their work. At the same time, make sure you are getting the real service you deserve.
D.Desrosiers 2019