The home buying and selling market can be difficult to navigate. It can be more difficult if you have hired a bad realtor. It is crucial to hire the right person to help you sell your home. But, the everyday person might not know how to tell a good realtor from a bad one, or at least one that is bad for you, specifically. To help you along, here are some telltale signs to look for that will tell you if you hired a bad realtor.
Signs You Have Hired a Bad Realtor
Selling Price is Way Off
If a house is priced poorly, it simply will not sell. Good real estate agents know the market and understand the importance of pricing a house right. Overpricing a home can not only prevent a sale from the outset, it can have lingering effects that can take months to recover from. Unfortunately, there are many bad agents out there who will lie to home sellers simply to get the listing. Although other agents know who the bad ones are, sellers are not necessarily as keen. To truly figure out if your agent is one who overprices houses, you need to do your research before you sign on to work with one. Talk to several agents to get varying opinions on a good listing price for your home. If one is way off from the others, you will quickly be able to determine which one the stinker is.
Internet Marketing is Bad
The internet has become the primary way real estate agents sell houses. Great agents know how to use the internet to their advantage and can do a strong job of marketing a home online. Unfortunately, there are also agents who have not mastered the skill of marketing houses on the internet. These agents generally are not technologically savvy or are simply not interested in doing a good job. Either way, if your home’s internet marketing is not up-to-snuff, then you need to find yourself a new agent who can do a better job for you.
Photography is Bad
Good photography is a must when selling a home. When the photographs look great, prospective buyers will be more apt to take a look at the house in person. Bad photography will cause people to quickly click through to the next listing. Good agents know how important good photography is and will either be skilled at it themselves or hire a professional to make sure the job gets done right. Agents who are not knowledgeable or simply do not care will take a few shots with a cell phone and call it a day. Since these photographs are the first impression people will have of your house, you need them to be of an excellent quality. If the pictures your realtor is using to market your home are not up to snuff, then you need to hire a new agent quickly.
If Your Agent Insists on Attending Every Showing
Although on the surface, a realtor who wants to be at every showing can seem attentive and motivated, it may not be the case. Good realtors are too busy to attend every single one. If your realtor has enough time to come to every showing, either he or she is not doing enough business or is not scheduling enough showings of your house. Either way, it is bad news for you. In fact, most often buyers and their agents do not want the seller’s agent there to avoid being subjected to any undue pressure.
There has been no Communication
A sure-fire way to tell you are working with a bad real estate agent is lack of communication. Regular communication with a realtor is a crucial aspect of selling a home. If your agent is too busy or too lazy to keep you in the loop regarding the sale of your house, then there is definitely a problem. Your agent should be giving you feedback and updates frequently. If you are not getting regularly communication from your realtor, it is time to find a new one.
Your Agent Practices Duality
Dual agents are those who represent both the seller and the buyer in a single deal. It is impossible to help both of these sides equally, as an agent tries to get the lowest price for the buyer or the highest price for the seller. Thankfully, you can spot dual agents before you make your decision on whom to work with. The conflict of interest a dual agent faces will never work out in the seller’s favor, so it will not be a good situation for you. Further, as the seller, you will have no representation during the home inspection, which can cost you money in the end.
If you are selling your Indianapolis area home and do not want to worry about hiring the wrong realtor, consider selling to Ben Buys Indy Houses instead. We will buy your house for cash, Ben Buys Indy Houses can get the deal done fast, and you will not need to hire an agent. It is a no-lose situation for you. Contact us today to see how we can help you.
