4 Essential Factors To Consider When Hiring a Listing Agent

May. 09. 2023

It has been a while since ya girl has written a blog post! If you have been following along on Youtube or Instagram, you know I have plenty of videos, tips, and tricks about this whole Austin real estate thing so naturally, it was time to spread the wealth and start a blog!

As you likely know, buying or selling a property can be a BIG financial decision. It is crucial, even vital, to hire the right real estate listing agent in Austin, Texas (this is especially true when the market begins to shift and homes start to sit for longer than 3 days)! But with so many agents in this space, how do you know which one is the right fit for you and/or you and your family? In this blog, I’m breaking down why it’s important to hire a qualified real estate listing agent in Austin that is the best fit for you, your family, and your home, and what I believe to be the most important factors that you should consider when interviewing listing agents. Specifically, we’re going to talk through, “My 4 P’s” {plus some fun bonus factors} to consider when hiring a listing agent to sell your home. Read on for the goods!

 

Why Hiring the Right Listing Agent is Vital to Success
Hiring the right real estate listing agent can make all the difference! An experienced and knowledgeable agent can help you navigate the complex process of selling your property, negotiate on your behalf, get you the best possible price, and provide a loooong list of other benefits and time and cost-saving amenities. Don’t settle for just anyone – choose an agent who understands your needs and has a proven track record of success. Trust me, it’s worth the investment!

 

What to Consider When Hiring a Listing Agent
When considering selling your home, I believe there are 4 “P’s” to take into account. I am outlining them here, along with some bonus factors that you should absolutely add to your checklist when interviewing listing agents.

(1) Presence
When selling a property, the marketing strategy plays a crucial role in attracting potential buyers. A realtor with a strong marketing plan will have the tools and expertise to showcase your home’s best features to a wider audience, and ideally using a mix of traditional and digital marketing techniques. A realtor with a strong online presence can effectively market your property on various social media platforms, listing sites, and other online avenues, resulting in more visibility (necessary) and exposure for your property throughout Austin as well as the country (again- necessary!).

Having a good offline presence is just as important. A realtor with a strong network of contacts in the Austin real estate industry and beyond can leverage these relationships to promote your property to potential buyers, other realtors, and even investors. Additionally, a realtor with a strong local presence and knowledge can provide invaluable insights into the local real estate market, helping you to make informed decisions about pricing and marketing your property.

So, if you want to ensure that your property gets the exposure it deserves and that you receive the best possible outcome from the sale, choose a realtor with a strong online AND offline presence.

Pro Tip: Ask the agent about their marketing plan -i.e., how they plan to advertise your property. One of my FAVORITE questions that I recommend you ask is, “If there was NO MLS, how would you market my home?” I know… it’s a good one, right?!

(2) Process
I am a huge believer in systems and checklists and have come to realize that EVERYTHING runs more smoothly when they are in place. When choosing a realtor to sell your home, it’s crucial to consider their processes and systems for success. Do they have checklists for various phases of the transaction process? Do they have a talented and hardworking support team with designated roles and tasks? A realtor with proven processes and ideally a support team in place can help sell your home faster and for the best possible price {… and who doesn’t love the sound of the best possible price?!}. With a well-defined plan in place, your realtor can efficiently navigate the entire selling process from start to finish, making it more likely that all aspects of the transaction will run smoothly, potentially avoid expensive mistakes, and save you time (I’m a big fan of saving time!). Hire a realtor who has the track record of delivering the results you need, and has proven systems in place that remove the stress out of selling your Austin, Texas home.

(3) Past Experience
Another biggie to keep in mind when hiring a real estate listing agent is their industry experience. You want someone who’s got a solid track record of nailing those sales (and purchases!) And specifically in the Austin, Texas metro area. Austin is a unique market to SAY THE LEAST, they need to have proven experience. Don’t be shy – ask them how many years they’ve been in the game, how many deals they’ve closed, how many homes they’ve sold that are just like yours, and what their success rate is. Ya gotta know these things!

(4) Professionalism
When you’re picking an agent, you wanna make sure they’re legit and doin’ things by the book. That means they’ve got a rock-solid reputation in the industry, and they’re totally up front about their fees and commission rates. Plus, back to what we said above about the need for strong“Presence,” it’s always a plus to work with someone who’s got a killer network and can hook you up with other top-notch people in the biz – think lawyers, inspectors, and appraisers, oh my!

 

BONUS Factors to Consider
Local Knowledge
Another important factor to consider is the agent’s knowledge of the local market – you gotta find an agent who’s a total Austin expert and knows the ins and outs of the Austin, Texas real estate market. Someone who knows all the juicy deets about the local real estate scene – the trends, the pricing, the hot neighborhoods, you name it. Don’t settle for just anybody!

References
Last but not least – you gotta ask for references, folks. A top-notch listing agent should have testimonials loud and proud across their website and other public facing online platforms like Google, and Zillow. They should also be more than happy to connect you up with past clients, so you can hear straight from the horse’s mouth how awesome they are.

Check out some of our awesome reviews. You can find my client testimonials on Google HERE as well as our website profile HERE and on third party sites like Zillow HERE.

 

In Conclusion
Hiring the right real estate listing agent in Austin, Texas is crucial to the success of your transaction. Consider the agent’s presence, process, past experience, professionalism, local knowledge, and references when making your decision. With the right agent in your corner, you’ll be cruisin’ the Austin real estate scene like a boss.

I am an award-winning Broker Associate in Austin, Texas that has been building my business and team of talented real estate rock stars over the past twelve years. Always keeping a pulse on the hot Austin market, I pride myself on white-glove service and being a straight-shooter while always keeping my client’s best interest in mind. The Brinkman Team prides itself on our systems and checklists that clearly communicate our process and expectations and gets our clients to the finish line seamlessly. Our track record stands for itself!

Sellers: If you’re curious about the value of your home, reach out to me today for a customized home report.

Buyers: If you’re considering a move within OR to the Austin metro area, we would be honored to assist you. Reach out to me for a free custom property search, today!