Select An Agent Early

Congratulations on meeting with two of our hand-picked Moving Made Easy real estate agent partners! This is the first step in the home selling process, and you are well on your way to putting a “SOLD” sign in front of your home. However, we can’t get ahead of ourselves just yet – you have an important decision to make between the two agents that you met with.

You may not be ready to list your home for sale yet, or even in the next 6 months, but selecting an agent sooner rather than later is beneficial because the agent can represent your interests throughout the entire process. If you wait to commit to an agent until a week before you list your home, you may be missing out on offers, market updates, and advice for the months leading up to that moment. Here are some of the reasons why choosing an agent today can benefit you tomorrow, and beyond.

Specific Market Updates

• • If you are not able to list for 6+ months after your initial meeting with both agents, the market will inevitably change. Real estate agents are constantly tuned into their local market and stay up to date on recent closings, new listings, and overall market trends. If you select an agent early in the process, you will receive consistent updates about the market that are specific to your home. The agent can provide you with general information about interest rates, average days on market, and overall trends. But they can also inform you of microtrends in your neighborhood such as potential new developments nearby and how they may affect your home’s value and listing strategy. When an agent is chosen, they have a duty to keep you informed and represent your best interest. If you do not have the exclusive agreement with an agent, they may be unwilling or unable to provide you with the detailed information that you need to know!

Unanticipated Buyer Interest

• • Local residential real estate is a small community where agents interact with each other daily. When you have an exclusive agent, this networking among other agents can be extremely beneficial! Through this network, your chosen agent may hear of a buyer who is looking for a home that matches the description of your own home and shares a similar timeline as you. With proper permission, representation, and transparency, your agent can share this information with you and perhaps even present an official offer, without even going on the market! If you did not have an agent exclusively representing your and your home, you would not have been introduced to this buyer. Even if an agent is not actively listing your home on the Multiple Listing Service, they can still keep their eyes and ears open for potential opportunities on your behalf.

Home Preparation and Repair Advice

• • In the Comparative Market Analyses you received from both agents and your Personal Relocation Manager, you may have noticed a section that provides suggestions for improvements, repairs, or updates. While Moving Station rarely recommends full-scale renovations to your home prior to listing, all homes need to be “spruced up” before listing. With an exclusive agent in your corner, they can provide recommendations for trusted contractors, painters, or repairmen to prepare your home for listing in the future. As with most things, it’s better to start sooner than later!

Take Advantage of Seasonal Photography

• • Having professional photos of your home attached to your online listing is among the most important aspects of drawing potential buyers to view the details of your home, and request more information from your agent. When you have time to plan ahead, you have the unique opportunity to select the time of year that showcases your home the best! Imagine a scenario where you meet with agents in February with the goal of listing the following February. Why wait to take photos on a gray, cold winter’s day when instead, you and your agent could have your choice of season during which to take photos. Do you have a vibrant garden in your backyard? Plan to take photos in May! What about the beautiful, mature trees by your front door? Highlight the incredible fall colors by taking photos in October!

Go at your own pace

• • Just because you have selected an agent early in the process does not mean you will feel pressured to list right away, or make any decisions that you don’t want to. In fact, it’s quite the opposite! When you and an agent agree to work with one another, you, the home seller, dictate the pace of your listing process. It is much easier to slow down the process and put things on hold than it is to scramble to sign an agent, take photos, and list your home last minute. With an exclusive agent representing you for months prior to listing, you are in the driver’s seat!

Contact Your Personal Relocation Manager