Listing Agents: What They Do and How to Find the Right One

Did you know that 11.2% of the United States population moves every year? If you own a home and you need to move, then it’s time to sell your house. Unfortunately, this can be a huge headache for people.

Luckily, there are professionals like listing agents that can make it a lot easier for you. But, what exactly is a listing agent? And what do they do? If you want to find out the answer to these questions, and more, then you’re in the right place.

In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about listing agents. That way, you can decide if they’re the right choice for you. Let’s get started!

What is a Listing Agent and What Do They Do?

A listing agent is a professional that specializes in real estate. Specifically, they work for the seller of the house. As their name suggests, these professionals are responsible for listing the house and representing the seller during the buying process.

However, that’s far from the only thing that listing agents do. They’re also responsible for coming up with a complete marketing plan to sell your house as quickly as possible at the price that you want.

They may make recommendations for home staging or home improvements that appeal to buyers. This will likely cost you time and money, but it greatly improves your odds of selling.

Once the home is staged, then they will take pictures or hire a professional photographer to take pictures. Once they have everything they need, then they’ll list your property on multiple listing sites.

The more sites they can cover, the better your odds of selling are. Listing agents are also responsible for holding open houses and providing tours to potential buyers.

When they find a potential buyer, then a listing agent will represent you by negotiating the price on your behalf. They will also make sure that all of the terms of the deal are favorable for you.

Benefits of Working With a Listing Agent

There are a lot of benefits that come with hiring a listing agent. First, it’s great to have a professional who is familiar with the home selling process. They can walk you through what to expect.

They can also help you decide how much you should be selling your house for. This is important because if your house price is too high, then it will never sell. But, if it’s too low, then you’ll end up losing a lot of money on the deal.

Listing agents also handle all of the advertising which can be difficult for homeowners to get a grasp of. Finally, they take all of the stress out of the home selling process. The listing agent will worry about scheduling showings and making the home look nice.

They’ll also negotiate on your behalf and communicate with the clients. This is important because being punctual with your communication is vital for home buyers.

A delayed or missed response is all that it takes to cause them to lose interest. And, because they’re skilled at negotiating you’re more likely to get more money for your home.

Unless you’re a skilled negotiator, then there’s a good chance that you could end up losing money if you try to negotiate yourself.

How Much Do Listing Agents Get Paid?

You might be wondering how much a listing agent will set you back. First off, you don’t need to worry about paying a lazy listing agent that can’t sell your house. The only way that a listing agent gets paid is if they sell your home.

If they can sell your home, then the usual fee is 6% of whatever you sold your house for. This commission is typically split with the buyer’s agent. This may seem like a lot, but keep in mind that listing agents work hard for this commission.

Typically for every hour, they spend with you they spend an additional nine hours working behind the scenes. And, when you consider all the benefits that come with these types of agents it’s easy to see how it’s worth it.

How to Find the Best Listing Agent

The first thing you should do is find listing agents in your area. We recommend first asking around your network. Your friends, family, and acquaintances likely have someone that they can recommend.

If your network isn’t helpful, then you can turn to an internet search. There are plenty of sites out there that are perfect for newly listed homes. Make sure that you don’t go with the first option that you see.

Instead, organize a list, then ask them questions. This might seem like overkill, but it’s important. After all, you’re trusting this person a lot.

As such, you should be 100% sure that they’re the right choice for you. Here are some of the questions that we recommend asking during the interview:

• How many years have you been selling?
• How long does it usually take you to sell?
• Do you have a plan on how to get the most money through renovations?
• What price range do you typically sell your houses in?
• What’s your marketing strategy?
• Do you have any contractor recommendations?
• Are you a member of the National Association of Realtors?
• How often will you stay in touch with me?

Want More Content? Keep Reading

We hope this article helped you learn more about listing agents and what they do. As you can see, these types of professionals offer a lot of benefits for home sellers. However, this is only true if you’re able to find a good one.

So, make sure that you follow the advice on this list and you should be good. Did you enjoy this article? If the answer is yes, then you’re in the right place. Keep exploring to find more topics that you’re sure to love.