Factors to Consider Before Choosing Your Denver Realtor
If you are like the vast majority of Americans, buying or selling a home will likely be the single largest transaction you ever undertake. Every decision you make regarding the sale of your Denver area home has potential monetary, legal, and time related consequences. So it makes sense to do a little research before you choose a Denver Realtor to sell your home.
If you've sold a few homes in the past then you may have a very detailed idea of exactly what qualities you are looking for in your next Realtor. Maybe you have an agent whom you trust and have worked with in the past. But if you are a first time home seller then you might be overwhelmed with the idea of choosing a Denver Realtor, as it seems like everyone and his cousin has a real estate license.
The truth of the matter is that most competent agents present a variation of the same marketing plan when selling your home. The Denver Realtor you choose will likely do the following:
- Place your home on the MLS
- Place a yard sign in your yard
- Put a lock box on your door
- Have a professional showing service arrange showings
- Use a professional photography company to set up a Virtual Tour of your home
- Market your home on several websites
The most important websites to be on are Realtor.com and the local MLS. If your home is on the MLS then it will be automatically uploaded to Realtor.com and numerous other sites, so one goes with the other. Company websites are nice, but the fact is that about 80% of people who are searching online are on Realtor.com exclusively.
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It's equally important to have a Virtual Tour of your home available to shoppers who are searching for homes online, as statistics show that homes with 6 or more pictures have up to 200% more viewers than home with only one photo. Virtual Tours are a necessary tool to attract the attention of today's choosy buyers-especially given that Denver is in a solid buyer's market at the moment.
Are there other websites your home should be on? Sure, it always helps. Sites like Zillow.com, Trulia.com, and craigslist are wonderful additions to the mix. But the MLS and Realtor.com remain the big dogs on the block.
As for other services your Denver Realtor may offer some are important, some are not. Holding an open house is a good way to attract buyers, but the fact is that only a small percentage of homes sell by virtue of holding an open house. There is also the factor of motivation to consider when a Realtor holds an open house. Many Realtors use open houses as a way to capture new buyers. It's a common practice that often goes unmentioned by industry insiders. It may make more sense to have your Denver Realtor simply advertise that you are having an open house, and then hold the open house yourself. Your motivation will always be to simply sell your house.
Once you get an idea of which services are important to you, you will undoubtedly consider how much money it will cost to get these services. Does it always make senses to pay a percentage of the sales price of your home? No, it does not. Is it really that much more difficult to sell a more expensive home? No, it is not. The fact is that the commission-as-percentage of sales price model is being tested and challenged. You may want to consider going with a Denver Realtor who charges you a set price for the services you want.
