Choosing an agent to represent you when selling your home seems a simple task for those of us involved in the industry on a daily basis. We accept though, that what we see as being a fairly straightforward decision must be agonisingly difficult for homeowners selling, perhaps for the first time in many years. Naturally, we all believe we offer the best service and can achieve the best result for homeowners, but an agency’s past performance must surely be an important consideration before making a final agency appointment.
Agent selection is a twofold decision. Firstly there is the company you believe can best represent you and secondly, there is the selection of an agent within that company. Your listing agent will be the person you have almost daily contact with over the marketing period; it should therefore be a person in whom you have confidence and with whom your goals and aspirations are compatible. So let’s talk about these important decisions facing every vendor offering their property for sale.
Why choose Tommy’s Real Estate Ltd?
Tommy’s has recently celebrated 20 years of service to the Wellington real estate industry. This has been a satisfying time during which the company has built from a small base of dedicated professionals to a large sales force that is a major player throughout the greater Wellington area. Tommy’s has offices in Wellington City, the Hutt Valley, Tawa/Paremata and on the Kapiti Coast. We are doing the business and have a large pool of satisfied home buyers and sellers who will vouch for our service levels and for our integrity. In the month of May, in what has been described by many as a difficult market, Tommy’s city office alone signed over 100 Sale & Purchase Agreements; an achievement that speaks for itself!
Tommy’s has a large market share and welcomes the opportunity to discuss this in detail as it pertains to any particular area or suburb in the greater Wellington region. We are confident that our track record in most Wellington suburbs will impress homeowners. At any given time, it is highly likely we can introduce potential buyers to your property from our client database; these are often buyers who have been looking at the market for some time, understand local values and are ready to make a buying decision.
Finally, each of our offices is run on a true ‘team’ basis. Every property listing within Tommy’s office is available for all agents to introduce buyers to. Inspection of a listed property is mandatory and each and every agent is expected to search their buyer records for a potential new owner. As a homeowner, your day-to-day dealings will usually be with the listing agent or agents, but you will have the entire sales team working for you and looking for a new owner for your home. The sales team, in turn, has a strong management and administration team offering back-up support.
Other important considerations
Fees:
Fees are an important consideration but should not become the deciding factor in agent selection. Often a reduced fee will mean a reduced level of service and professionalism. A good agent will more than pay their way, and can often recover at least a portion of your fees through astute marketing and strong negotiating. Usually, there is little variation between various agencies which reduces the incidence of fees becoming a major consideration in agent selection.
Marketing:
A combination of electronic and newsprint marketing has proven to be the best mix for selling Wellington property. At Tommy’s, we have a variety of packages embracing the various advertising options. Advertising in the exclusive Tommy’s Lifestyle Magazine is cost effective and has delivered proven results.
Tommy’s Real Estate has also launched a series of interactive property marketing tools to show off properties for sale like never before. In addition to magazine quality photography and 2D and 3D floorplans, the engaging tools allow buyers to walkthrough listings with a 360-degree view from their mobile, iPad or desktop. Buyer’s imagination is inspired with tools to remodel/recolour the kitchen or building façade and even design the layout of their furniture within the property online.
(Click here to experience the tool for more).
Reporting and Communication:
When selling a property, there is nothing worse than being uninformed about the progress of the sale and about buyer feedback. At the outset, Tommy’s will establish and adhere to a communication pattern with you, which can be as often as daily if required – or on any other frequency that meets your expectations. A vital part of a successful partnership between homeowner and agent is to have a common goal; your price expectations should be shared with your agent and there needs in principle, to be an agreement before marketing begins. Marketing without a fixed price but with a buyer guideline should be by consensus, but in a manner that does not restrict the upper limits of a motivated buyer.
Selecting your Agent:
The track record of both the company and the agent is important, as is the support they will receive from within their sales team. When selling, every homeowner should have confidence in their selected agent and feel comfortable in their presence. After all, they will be spending a good deal of time in your home and be in control of what may well be your major asset. If you need assistance in selecting an agent, Tommy’s management will be pleased to nominate a person from within our sales team to represent you.
There are countless other considerations but your measure of effectiveness should largely be ‘results based’. Tommy’s welcome any opportunity to meet with you for an obligation-free discussion before you make your final decision on agent selection. This is an important decision and it is vital that you make the best possible choice.