Choosing a Salesperson to Sell Your Property

The writer of this article is a real estate salesperson - hopefully offering an insider's opinion as to the most important criteria when selecting a salesperson to sell your home, land, or building.  A salesperson who sells record numbers of properties isn't always the best person to employ - especially if you want the best possible price for your property.

Assuming this is your goal - a sale at a good price, within a reasonable timeframe - then the top attribute in a real estate salesperson has to be a genuine desire to achieve this.  You may think this is automatic, surely all salespeople seek such a goal. Unfortunately reality is that almost all real estate salespeople in New Zealand earn their income 100% from commission - so human nature means some are content to simply attain a sale, rather than one at the best possible price.  The desire to truly seek the best price comes from those who not only want commission income, they also want your satisfaction.

Question: How do you know which salesperson is genuine when they all say "Yes, I will pursue the best price for you"

Answer: Select two or three salespeople you like the look/sound of.  Show them your property, then make an appointment for the following day, telling them you will be interviewing them for the job of selling your property.  At the interview make sure they do the talking...simply ask them:

• If you were to be my/our salesperson what would be your goal?
• How would you go about achieving that goal?
• What can you do for me/us that is better than your competition?

Then button up.  Remember this is the interview stage, you can share more relevant property and motivation details later, with the salesperson you select.

Their reply to the first question should be that clearly stated desire to get you the top dollar within a reasonable time frame.  However, it's the answer to the second question that is most important.  The top salesperson will have prepared a professional marketing proposal, unique to your property, designed to achieve the goal of 'top dollar'.  A proposal that will primarily aim to attract more buyers than a regular 'exclusive' agency would.  It will include a larger-than-standard advert of your property, (be it for the newspapers, magazines, or Internet - hopefully all), targeting a specific buyer group.  It will also include a marketing and Open Home schedule.  A top real estate salesperson will advise you of the necessity to promote your property over and above the norm.  Their first goal (on your behalf) will be to get the most possible buyers to your doorstep.

They will tell you the equation is simple; more advertising means more buyers, more buyers means more likelihood of not just one offer but multiple offers and/or buyer competition.  A seller's bargaining power is strengthened when buyers compete with other buyers.  It becomes buyer versus buyer rather than buyer versus seller. The result - a higher price paid for your property.

So this marketing plan is hugely important.  You may interview some very nice, sincere salespeople; however if they can't or don't market your property professionally your chance of getting the best price for your property is almost nil.  The difference may well be many thousands of dollars.

The answers to the third question will vary.  The top salesperson will at least offer you something unique, something more than the norm, over and above their professional marketing campaign - a service they perform that others don't, perhaps making more effort than what others will.  The key here is that they offer or demonstrate something extra (and not just their 'reputation', as what is good in one person's judgement may not be in yours).  Top professionals always have 'extra' up their sleeve!

A top real estate salesperson will also guarantee to give you all the buyer feedback that results from this marketing campaign - a phone call after every buyer visit, and a weekly progress meeting.  They will impress upon you that selling your property is a partnership, with both of you seeking the same goal.  Therefore you need to be kept up to date with all progress, and to learn from the feedback what is an average offer, and what is a good offer.

Other selection considerations:

A top salesperson will also advise you that the good presentation of your property is important in attaining that top price.  For example, if you had two identical homes side-by-side, each with a RV (say) of $200,000 the difference between what the scruffy one will sell for, and the spic-and-span one, could easily be 10%, or $20,000.

Is your salesperson personable  Does their standard of dress and vehicle convey a pleasant/confident impression

Will they do lots of Open Homes  Some sellers balk at Open Homes - fair enough - however, realistically the more often your salesperson is on your property inviting in buyers, the more likelihood of attaining that top price.

Do they have a database of buyers  Ask to see it.  Top salespeople carry with them names and phone numbers of current buyers, because they're organised and 'onto it'.  As soon as you appoint them, they'll be ringing the first buyers from your lounge!

Do they have a website of their own  Not just the agency website, but one of their very own. Because the Internet is now the first stop for most real estate buyers, any top salesperson will have their own website - just part of that 'extra' service they can offer.

Does the size of the agency they work for matter  No, providing you employ a professional marketing campaign.  The salesperson is far more important than their umbrella agency.  Your contract will usually be with the agency, but the impetus and drive to achieve the best result will come from your selected salesperson.

Which selling strategy does your salesperson suggest  Most top sellers utilise 'open pricing', rather than an 'asking price' strategy.  This is because asking prices are more risky when it comes to attracting all the potential buyers, and it also puts a ceiling on the price you'll be offered.  Open pricing requires more selling skills on the part of your salesperson, but done right it leads to buyer competition, and the resulting higher sale

Which selling strategy does your salesperson suggest Most top sellers utilise 'open pricing', rather than an 'asking price' strategy.  This is because asking prices are more risky when it comes to attracting all the potential buyers, and it also puts a price.  Remember, central to a truly top real estate salesperson is their desire and ability to get you more than just a sale!

Tony Treloar.