6 Things to Do Before Hiring an Real Estate Agent

You should have all the financial bases covered and be ready to start showing your house within weeks of calling an agent. This takes time, and how much it takes depends on the layout of your home and your budget. You can't afford to make a shaky debut in a competitive industry like real estate. It's important to consider the following elements before considering who will be your agent.

Get Mortgage Pre-Approval

Before signing up with a real estate agent, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with your financing choices. The mortgage you can afford depends on several criteria, including the duration, price, and interest rate. It's important to distinguish between being "pre-qualified" and "pre-approved" for a mortgage. Both pre-qualification and pre-approval need an examination of your financial obligations and resources, although only the latter requires a formal mortgage application.

Conduct Market Research

The price range of houses you should look at is determined by the amount of the mortgage you have pre-approved. On the other hand, if you plan to sell your property, you should research comparable properties in the neighbourhood. Remember that the asking prices listed in real estate advertising, whether online or in print, are all you will learn.

An agent in the real estate industry can provide information on how long a house has been on the market, whether or not the price has been lowered, and, most crucially, the final sale price. Do your homework on the market, but hold off on falling in love with any specific houses.

Declutter

Most of us know how to stage a home because we've watched too many episodes of "Trading Spaces." But it would help if you also tried to make a good impression on your real estate agent. It would help to prepare your house for an open house before inviting an agent to see it. This will give the agent a better idea of advertising your home.

• Store shoes and outerwear. If these are on display, it puts a bad light on your storage abilities.
• Take personal items. Photographs of your family reunion can swiftly demolish the buyer's ability to envision themselves living in your space.
• Clean your refrigerator. A well-kept home will appear chaotic and chaotic when postcards, receipts, and letter magnets are all over the place.
• Get rid of clutter. Your home will seem much more expansive if you eliminate unnecessary walls and create more open areas.

Clean

You'd be surprised how far a spotless toilet can go when trying to sell your property. A clean and organized house reflects the owner's care and commitment to the property. To give just one example, the way your entryway looks is as significant as any other component of the building's decor. While you might not give much thought to the dust and insects that have made your light fixtures and shades their home on a day-to-day basis, prospective buyers who do their due diligence may be turned off by your lack of maintenance.

Fix, Replace, Refinish

Some long-term residents have come to accept the need for constant maintenance and the presence of worn or outdated fixtures. Walls, for instance, need to be patched and painted. Neutral paint colours allow buyers to picture themselves in your house, while a fresh coat of paint on an undamaged wall demonstrates that you take pride in maintaining your property. Is the grass cut and clear of weeds? Most potential buyers will get their first impressions of your property based on its outside, so give it its best face forward.

Scout Agents

Don't settle for the first agent in a web search. Find an agent who is a good fit for your requirements by doing some research. Start by asking recently relocated friends and family for recommendations, then check out the many internet tools that rate and evaluate real estate agents. You should also seek a real estate agent with experience selling properties in your region, as they will know how to set a fair price for your home.

Summary

Selling or purchasing a property requires the same research and planning as any other large purchase or transaction. If you want to sell your property quickly, you should do everything possible to make it more desirable to potential buyers before contacting a real estate agent. Keep in mind that if you don't follow this checklist, even the most seasoned real estate agent won't be able to help you sell your property since there won't be much interest in it.