Seller's Information

How to Select an Agent

When you are ready to buy or sell real estate, the first question should be: Who is qualified to represent my best interests? Before you can answer that question, it is important to understand what services a REALTOR® can offer and what the term REALTOR® means. REALTORS® are members of the National Association of REALTORS®, and are pledged to abide by the 17 Articles of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. Not all licensees are REALTORS®, so be sure to ask the agent if he or she is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®.

Equally important, REALTORS® in any given real estate transaction may be "buyer's agents," who represent the best interests of the buyer, or "sellers agents," also called "listing agents," who represent the seller's best interests. Understanding the differences between these two agency types can play a vital role in your choice of a REALTOR® as well as the specific services, skills and capabilities offered by that individual.

The following information can help you understand how to evaluate and select an agent to assist you in meeting your goals, and help you decide whether a "buyer's agent" or "sellers agent" has a role in your real estate transaction. Select your agent carefully and then work with only one agent. Working with more than one agent results in wasted time and energy and will only complicate your real estate transaction - neither agent will provide exceptional service because of split loyalties, transaction commissions and procuring cause conflicts. However, agents will be committed to you if you are committed to them. If you select wisely, your agent will provide detailed housing market information, be able to optimally access and utilize the various available technologies, and will devote the time necessary to find you the best home at the best price or find the buyer for your home at the best price and terms for you.

What a seller's agent can do for you:

Few decisions are as important as the decision to sell your home. Many questions may come to mind. What makes a house sell? When is the best time to sell? Can I sell my home myself? What are the current market conditions and how will they affect my success? Most people sell their homes infrequently, however, changes occur at a breakneck pace in the laws effecting real estate contracts and disclosures and the home selling process. Through technology, today's savvy buyers are armed with vast amounts of information on which they base offers or request concessions. Determining the best approach to insure a successful closing at the optimum price, terms and conditions can be daunting.

Napier Realtors® ERA agents are well prepared to answer these questions and more. A Napier Realtors® ERA agent will prepare a comprehensive market analysis to help you arrive at a fair asking price for your home. Additionally, your agent will provide a detailed marketing plan and a pledge of quality service. Your agent will look at your home objectively and make suggestions for repairs and improvements to help you obtain your maximum price. Your Napier Realtors® ERA agent can also suggest techniques for "staging your home" to showcase its most appealing features to buyers.

Nationally over 80% of all sales are cooperative sales where one agent represents the seller and another agent brings the buyer. You can be assured that agents and their buyers are drawn to the listings of Napier Realtors® ERA because of our friendly and cooperative attitude, our strong presence in the marketplace, our integrity and expertise, and our reputation for presenting quality homes that are priced right and in good condition. To further insure your success in selling your home, our innovative marketing tools such as our comprehensive home protection plan, virtual tours, multiple web site marketing and exclusive Seller's Security Plan® can help you obtain a higher price and a guaranteed sale.

A skill often overlooked by sellers when selecting an agent is their skill in negotiating contracts. The process of negotiating involves understanding the market conditions and the competing sales inventory, the evaluation of the buyer's qualifications and such issues as appraisals, inspections and financing. An experienced Napier Realtors® ERA agent can guide you through the process to help you avoid mistakes that could result in the loss of hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

When a contract is in place on your house, your agent will coordinate various activities such as circulation of paperwork to the appropriate parties, whole house and termite inspections, survey, appraisal and buyer's final walk-through. If repairs are requested, your agent will guide you in determining which repairs are necessary to comply with your agreement and those that may fall outside the scope of your agreement. You can rely on your Napier Realtors® ERA agent to be well informed regarding home inspection and environmental issues and the subtleties of negotiating effectively to protect your interests.

Here is a list of other factors to consider when evaluating a seller's agent and the real estate company. Look for:

  • An agent with a well established, successful company that has a high community profile and commitment
  • A company that provides continuous education programs for its agents so that they are up to date on the fast paced changes that are taking place in the real estate market - changes that may very well affect your sales price
  • An agent who will help you establish a fair market price for your home and will inform you about the use of creative, competitive techniques
  • An agent who offers a home protection plan to protect you during the listing period, and the purchaser after the closing for your peace of mind
  • An agent who can offer the optional Seller's Security Plan - "We will sell you house or ERA® will buy it"
  • A company with a serious Internet presence for convenient previewing of homes, choosing services, evaluating agents, and reviewing neighborhoods
  • An agent who will provide a comprehensive marketing plan to sell your house, including web marketing and virtual tours
  • An agent who will provide a detailed analysis of the current market conditions specific to recent sales and current competition
  • An agent with a track record of success in good or tough markets
  • An agent and company whose good standing and good reputation will attract buyers and their agents to your listing
  • An agent who can guide you through the property inspections process, preparing well-crafted responses to repair requests if needed
  • A company with a steady stream of relocation buyers because they are affiliated with the largest referral network in the world, Cartus Broker Network.
  • An agent who is an effective communicator and who has the necessary tools to enable good communications - voice mail, pager, cell phone, PC, Internet, web site, etc.
  • An agent who has the technology to supply you with up to date information about new listing competition, the latest on mortgage rates and terms, neighborhood and school profiles, tax information, neighborhood home values and more
  • A company with multiple office locations to serve the entire metropolitan Richmond area

For more information explore the Agents/Offices section of our website or e-mail us at info@napierera.com.