Selling your property – whether your family home or an investment – is one of the biggest decisions you will face.

So how do you choose an agent that is up to the task? Finding an agent is not a problem – there are plenty around. However it is harder to find an ethical agent that will sell your property for the best price in a short period of time – without disrupting your life too much.

We hope to help you in this process by outlining three of the common mistakes we believe people make when selecting an agent to sell their property.

1. Choosing the agent that lists your property for the highest price.

Agents sometimes overprice a property to secure a listing. Who wouldn’t go with the agent that promises $100,000 more than everyone else? However you should be wary of this. If the property is overpriced, it will sit on the market for months and not sell. The first month of listing is crucial; it’s the time to make an impact. You only get one chance to make a great first impression.

Ray Real Estate has been operating in the Salt and Casuarina region since the day Salt Village was developed. Our agents know the area like the back of their hands and know the property values. They will never deceive you about the value of your property to secure your listing.

2. Choosing the cheapest agent

The reality is that marketing your property costs money. Real estate websites and other advertising mediums are not free. If you are paying your agent significantly less than what other agents have quoted, either in marketing or commission, you can be guaranteed you are missing out somewhere. Do your research about how your property will be marketed and what you receive from your agency for your money.

Ray Real Estate has a variety of marketing options to suit all budgets, along with a qualified journalist and marketer that ensures your property is promoted in the best possible way to achieve a top sale.

3. Choosing the agent that has sold the most properties

It may be tempting to think that an agent who sells the most properties is the best. However, consider these variables:

• How long have the properties sat on the market?
• Were all the properties sold at the very best price?
• How many properties were not sold? Consider this scenario as an example: An agent may have sold 10 properties in the last year, but only had 12 on its books. In contrast, the agent down the road sold 20 properties but had 40 on its books. If you were looking just at the number of sales, you would choose the agent that has sold 20 – however this agent has not performed better for his clients than the agent who sold 10.

Selling the most properties doesn’t equate to the best performing agent. You need to consider a balance of all the factors listed above.

We hope this has been of some assistance with helping you choose the best agent for your needs. Please contact us if we can be of assistance.