What Sellers Look for in a Portland Listing Agent

Selling a house is no small endeavor. And, as one might expect, it’s not something most of us would want to leave to someone we don’t trust. This is one of the main reasons we ask for referrals from our friends, family, neighbors and coworkers when selling a house. Did you know that getting a referral is the number one method used to find a Real Estate Agent? Well it is. According to the National Association of REALTORS® Yearly Publication, fully thirty-nine percent of people selling a house in 2011 found their listing agent by getting a referral from a friend, neighbor or relative. Involving a trusted friend’s referral can bring peace of mind and perhaps promotes more honesty, but trust and honesty are not the only things people said they are looking for in a Portland Listing Agent.

There are actually four main tasks people expect a Real Estate Agent to perform when selling a house: market their property, price it properly, sell it within a specific time frame, and help bring a ready and able buyer for the home. These are the same four tasks people expected Listing Agents to perform as last year according to the 2011 NAR Profile of Buyers and Sellers. And while they are only some of what Listing Agents are able to help with, they are some of the most crucial when selling a house.

So how can one tell if a Portland Listing Agent is honest, trustworthy, able to market their home, price it competitively, sell it in a timely way and find a buyer? Good question. How do you feel about a little bit of homework? 1.) Ask your friends, family, and coworkers about their experiences in selling their home. Did they feel their agent was honest and capable? Did their home sell quickly and for the right price? 2.) Check online reviews of an agent. These reviews are written by people who have previously worked with a particular agent and have written about their experience with him/her. These can often be found online. As an example, here are some of mine.

3.) Check for an agent’s online presence. This can be accomplished by a simple Google search or by browsing the top real estate websites like Zillow and Trulia. How does the Listing Agent market themselves as a professional? How many homes have they sold recently, how does their website look, how might they be able to market your property? As more and more home shopping occurs online (over 94% of buyers) it could be argued that the Listing Agent’s online marketing for your home is the most important variable to achieve a successful sale. As an example, here is my marketing proposal

Selling a house can be easier than you may think and choosing the right Portland Listing Agent can make all the difference.