One of the most crucial elements to success when selling a house is selecting a Realtor. There are typically hundreds or even thousands of realtors in Michigan. After all, getting a real estate license isn’t the hardest thing you could possibly do. While each state has its own standards, most call for a specific number of class hours, the passing of one or more exams, and a minimal registration fee.

Selecting the wrong realtor can be a total disaster for a successful home sale. Because there will be numerous symptoms, you should be able to recognize when you’ve picked the incorrect realtor. There are plenty of signs that will show you that you have hired the wrong real estate agent. This is a mistake that can be easily avoided by knowing and avoiding mistakes often made by sellers when hiring a realtor.

Here are mistakes to avoid when choosing a realtor

Choosing a real estate agent without requesting references

Don’t make the mistake of picking a realtor without requesting references or feedback from previous clients. Past clients are one of the best sources of information regarding a realtor’s operations and performance. Top realtors ought to be ready to give you a ton of references or client feedback.

Ask potential realtors if they have any former clients you may phone or email before making your decision. Don’t expect to acquire more phone numbers or email addresses of the realtor’s past clients; keep in mind that some people are not comfortable with letting strangers call them to discuss their experiences. But they ought to be able to provide you with at least a few phone numbers or email addresses.

Choosing a “YES” man or woman realtor

Everybody has met a “YES” man or lady in their life. People in “YES” exist in all fields of work. A “YES” person or persona should be avoided while choosing a realtor! Homeowners who hire a “YES” real estate agent to sell their home later learn that they were only told what they wanted to hear and not what they needed to hear.

When a homeowner inquires about what needs to be done to have their house ready for the market, the ideal example of a “YES” realtor is one who responds that it is already ready to be listed for sale. A seller may lose significant time and money by telling a homeowner their home is ready when they know it is not. They just agree that their property is prepared for the market rather than giving the homeowner some straightforward staging advice and telling them the truth that they need to declutter or depersonalize. When a potential buyer is viewing a home for the first time, the “WOW” factor is crucial.

If a potential realtor consistently concurs with your opinions, you might want to ask them a question to which you know the answer is obviously “NO.” Don’t pick them if they concur with you on this!

Hiring a part-time realtor

On the surface, real estate may appear to many as a career that doesn’t need a lot of time and work but instead generates enormous wealth. This is actually one of the biggest real estate fallacies that people continually encounter. Because they think it can be done part-time, many realtors enter the industry on a part-time basis. This is far from being the truth.

Whether a realtor works full- or part-time should be one of your top concerns while making your decision. Consider how accessible a part-time realtor will be able to respond to questions about your home if they are preoccupied with an “8-5 job.” Most likely, they will be occupied carrying out duties from their other position.

A part-time agent will struggle to have the time to advertise and offer your home the most exposure in addition to responding to queries. To promote a client’s home to as many people as possible is one of the real estate agent’s main “jobs.” A Realtor who wants to provide their clients the most exposure should have a website that performs well in search engine results pages (SERPs), which takes a lot of time and effort to construct.

Selecting a realtor only on the basis of commission

The commission is usually negotiable. Any realtor who claims otherwise is not telling the truth. States and towns may have different commission rates. It’s likely that the majority of realtors in Michigan will charge the same commission rate. Selecting a realtor who provides a sizable commission cut is a grave mistake that house sellers make when choosing a realtor to sell their home.

Why does this matter? You must think it’s wonderful that you may end up saving money. Wrong. Can you imagine how aggressively a realtor will negotiate on your behalf when you receive an offer if they accept a reduced commission with little to no resistance? In addition to their ability to negotiate, do you really think a realtor who is working for less than the “average” commission will spend their money marketing your house?

You get what you pay for when selecting a realtor solely on the basis of commission. If a real estate agent tries to reduce their commission, it’s usually because they are desperate to secure a contract to sell your house.

Interviewing only one realtor

When selling a home, a seller who knows how to properly interview a realtor can avoid a lot of future hassles. This phase in the process is sometimes overlooked by sellers when selecting a realtor to sell their home. Interviewing many realtors is highly advised.

Since not all realtors are created equal, it is crucial to compare them when making your decision. Realtors differ from one another, as do the businesses they work for. Each realtor and their business will offer unique resources to their sellers, market their houses in unique ways, and employ unique selling strategies. The fact that two realtors may work for the same company does not guarantee that they will offer the same service or make use of the same resources. This is an additional point to bear in mind while selecting a realtor and interviewing potential candidates.