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Old 03-12-2008, 07:57 PM
 
175 posts, read 1,481,861 times
Reputation: 176

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Can you just ask them? I'm still trying to find a good seller's agent. I figure I'll drive around my neighborhood and see who has the most signs up. I don't personally know anyone who has bought or sold in the last 10 years, so a referral is out
The few I interviewed (and wasn't crazy about) I picked out of the yellow pages. I live in a smallish town (27,000) so there are a limited number of agents who would be familiar with my town.
I want to find the agressive, internet savvy go-getter, but all I got so far was the older lady agents who put ads in the local papers and consider that 'marketing'. They barely mentioned the Internet, which I believe is the way MOST people are starting out the home search these days. Is there a website that rates agents? Or some other good way to sift through all the agents in the phone book?
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Old 03-12-2008, 08:21 PM
 
Location: Cary, NC
43,019 posts, read 76,519,527 times
Reputation: 45328
Quote:
Originally Posted by kitty3 View Post
Can you just ask them? I'm still trying to find a good seller's agent. I figure I'll drive around my neighborhood and see who has the most signs up. I don't personally know anyone who has bought or sold in the last 10 years, so a referral is out
The few I interviewed (and wasn't crazy about) I picked out of the yellow pages. I live in a smallish town (27,000) so there are a limited number of agents who would be familiar with my town.
I want to find the agressive, internet savvy go-getter, but all I got so far was the older lady agents who put ads in the local papers and consider that 'marketing'. They barely mentioned the Internet, which I believe is the way MOST people are starting out the home search these days. Is there a website that rates agents? Or some other good way to sift through all the agents in the phone book?

Sometimes in a small town, you do the small town thing.
That may mean newspaper ads and your MLS for other agents.
You will be smart to pick from that limited pool of agents who know your town, than to reinvent the wheel and market where those agents will not find you.

Is that how Buyers are finding properties in your area, the newspaper?
Boring? Maybe. A little behind the times? Maybe, in some areas.
But if it is how property is being successfully marketed and conveyed locally... Well, are you looking for a sale, or for marketing style points?
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Old 03-12-2008, 09:11 PM
 
Location: Gorham, Maine
1,973 posts, read 5,196,841 times
Reputation: 1505
Kitty, Yes you can ask the agent to show you her/his list to sell ratio. However you need to quantify it, do you want the last 12 months, the last 5 years, 20 years, year to date, etc.? Have them bring out the MLS sheets to support their claims. Remember that in many MLS' (like ours) the sale price is compared to the last listed price, so this number might not be accurate. For example if an agent with a lot signs (see next paragraph) prices a house at 400,000 and reduces it to 339,900 (where it should have been) and then it goes under contract for 338,900, that agent looks like a hero, instead of a bum. Remember anybody can use the numbers to make themselves look good, you need to find somebody who you can trust. Have any agent you interview give you names and phone numbers/e mails of clients that can vouch for that agent and check them out!

Be careful because the most signs up may mean the agent that overprices the highest and has the most unsold houses, you might not want to add yours to that unimpressive list. I am thoroughly convinced that some agents like to see their signs with their picutres on them as they drive around the community. They also feel they'll get buyers at your expense and who needs that? Let them advertise on their own, not on your house!

Stay away from the paper if you want internet-savvy agencies and agents. My company doesn't advertise in the yellow pages, but we have over 1,000,000 visits on our web site each month. Google "kitty's town real estate" and see which agencies come up - those that invest the money to come up high in the search engines have an internet strategy. Call up the managing/designated broker and tell them the type of house you have, the type of agent you are looking for and ask for somebody to contact you. You could also send a private message to any agent on this forum, who would be glad to interview these agents for you and send one to you.

Good luck and keep us posted.
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Old 03-12-2008, 09:36 PM
 
175 posts, read 1,481,861 times
Reputation: 176
Thanks for the GREAT advice! I will do just that (internet search). If you all don't mind, a quick question on pricing my home. Let's say the neighborhood comps and all data indicate I could sell for around 150K. Is it better to list for 149,900? (and thus show up under internet searches in the 125-150K range) or to list at 151,000? (and be one of the 'cheaper' homes for those buyers looking in the 150-175K range)?
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Old 03-12-2008, 09:42 PM
 
Location: Atlanta/Decatur/Emory area
1,320 posts, read 4,258,722 times
Reputation: 501
Quote:
Originally Posted by kitty3 View Post
Thanks for the GREAT advice! I will do just that (internet search). If you all don't mind, a quick question on pricing my home. Let's say the neighborhood comps and all data indicate I could sell for around 150K. Is it better to list for 149,900? (and thus show up under internet searches in the 125-150K range) or to list at 151,000? (and be one of the 'cheaper' homes for those buyers looking in the 150-175K range)?
It is best to list at exactly $150,000 so you show up in both search ranges ($125k - $150 and $150k - $175)
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Old 03-13-2008, 12:08 AM
 
Location: Columbia, SC
10,892 posts, read 21,846,800 times
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Ask for all their listings in the last 12 months and how many sold vs. didn't sell. Have them bring listing sheets. You can take their average list price vs. the % they sold for on average. Add that to the commission % and you'll get an average net to boot.

Ex. 2% off list net + 7% commission = 9% + 90 DOM
3% net + 6 % commission = 9% + 120 DOM
5% net + 4% commission = 9 % +135 DOM

In the above scenario the first Realtor is probably the best listing agent by the #'s. Even though they average the same 9% net, the first sold homes faster and saved you a month or 2 in payments.

Newspaper ads may work in your market but internet marketing should be there too. Basically, don't completely discount newspaper ads until you're sure it doesn't work there.

Good advice to google "my town real estate" and see what agent shows up a lot.

Great advice to list right at $150,000.
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Old 03-13-2008, 09:52 AM
 
Location: Atlanta
739 posts, read 824,288 times
Reputation: 279
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon Hoffman View Post
Good advice to google "my town real estate" and see what agent shows up a lot.
Brandon,

I see what you are driving at, but there are numerous agents in Atlanta who have great web sites, show up in all of the searches but when you look at their production, they don't do anywhere as well as some of the "little old ladies" who have been at it forever and sell a lot simply due to their connections and expereince.

Just a thought.
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Old 03-13-2008, 12:40 PM
 
Location: Atlanta/Decatur/Emory area
1,320 posts, read 4,258,722 times
Reputation: 501
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buckhead_Broker View Post
Brandon,

I see what you are driving at, but there are numerous agents in Atlanta who have great web sites, show up in all of the searches but when you look at their production, they don't do anywhere as well as some of the "little old ladies" who have been at it forever and sell a lot simply due to their connections and expereince.

Just a thought.
Yes, but in Atlanta most of those top-producing those little old ladies (BTW, most of them would probably hurt you if you called them that) are selling multi-million dollar Buckhead mansions, not $150k homes. Connections are great among the country club crowd, but with 70-80% of US home buyers searching online for homes, for most sellers it's in their best interest to find an internet-savvy agent.
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Old 03-13-2008, 03:27 PM
 
Location: Atlanta
739 posts, read 824,288 times
Reputation: 279
Quote:
Originally Posted by IntownHomes247 View Post
Yes, but in Atlanta most of those top-producing those little old ladies (BTW, most of them would probably hurt you if you called them that) are selling multi-million dollar Buckhead mansions, not $150k homes. Connections are great among the country club crowd, but with 70-80% of US home buyers searching online for homes, for most sellers it's in their best interest to find an internet-savvy agent.
Could be. I'm more used to thinking of $150k as a commission, not a home price.
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Old 03-13-2008, 04:48 PM
 
Location: Salem, OR
15,493 posts, read 40,186,319 times
Reputation: 17327
You can also hit some real estate blogs for local internet savvy agents. Just type in "kitty's town real estate blogs" and agents who blog will come up.

One caveat with list to sell price is that you want to know the ORIGIAL LIST to sold price, not the CURRENT list price at the time it sold. It makes a BIG difference. Honestly, I don't know my percentage, but I just pull out my laptop and get on the MLS and SHOW people my data. That way they can see how I fill out my listings, and what the Original list to sold price is.

Data can be easily manipulated depending on how you want to skew it. An agent can say their list to sell ratio is 99.9%, but they neglect to mention that they lowered the price 10 times in order to get the sale...
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