Is it important to have a top real estate agent to sell your PEI property?

In today's sluggish market the answer is YES! If we were enjoying a robust market the answer may be different from the perspective of marketing but never from the point of security throughout the transaction. You want to be sure that you are protected and you are with a licensed agent as they are covered in PEI by Errors & Omissions insurance. You want to make sure that you have an expert negotiator on your side ensuring that you get the best price. Not all licensed realtors are expert negotiators, but if you choose a top listing realtor you are on the right track.

So how do you know if the realtor that you are planning to use is a top realtor? This is really a 2 part question. Top realtor can mean the agent with the greatest number of listings and sales. Top realtor could also mean the agent who does all the things that a realtor should do to give your property the best chance of exposure to the maximum number of potential buyers.

But you say, "wouldn't that be the same thing, as if the realtor does all the steps wouldn't they also be top in the realtor numbers", most sales and listings. In PEI not necessarily as some agents are in their first year and that doesn't make them less of a realtor, just that they haven't had the chance to build the numbers yet. Many new realtors go about their business with care and attention, they are the top realtors of the future, but they can market your property effectively now. So what makes a good agent?

Have a look at your prospective agent's listings on the MLS site realtor.ca. If you see listings without pictures or with poor pictures this is an agent that you don't want. The least an agent can do is make sure that there are good photos on MLS and additionally make sure that they fill in all germane information as well. If they don't they are showing that they are lazy.

Check their listings and see that they have placed signage on the properties. If one listing doesn't have a sign this may be at the request of the owner, but more than that, or in the winter signs that are allowed to blow over or away, and you are dealing with a realtor that does not place their clients first. Signs should also have a cell number and a website displayed on them

Ask to see promotional materials that the agent has prepared or advertising that the agent has done for other vendors. Check the PEI real estate guide for their adverts and ask for and check both their office and personal real estate websites. If they don't have their own website, be wary. In this day and age serious realtors have their own websites.

Check around the community to see if this realtor does regular open houses. These are important if your house is likely to be bought by local people.

When any agent makes a presentation to you prior to you listing with them watch out for inflated values. Some realtors will tell you your home is worth a lot more than the others have said. Generally they do this to get your listing and then they spend the next few weeks getting you to lower the price. Be realistic, if you listen to your gut you will know when you are being flannelled this way.

The final question a lot of people have when they consider the total amount of commission that they will pay for real estate services is how much the realtor gets. PEI real estate generally is sold on 5% commission. Very often the listing and selling realtors are different so they split the commission.. On a $100,000 home and a $5000 commission this means that each realtor is paid $2500. However since most brokerages take up to 50% of that, your realtor now has $1250. From that amount all marketing costs are deducted, so you can see that the $5000 is quickly reduced.

Full-service realtors really are worth the cost, after all this is your biggest investment, your home. Treat this transaction with the respect and gravity it deserves and have it handled by professionals.

Ron Wesley is a PEI real estate consultant and he is vast experience in PEI real estate field. If you you want to know more about real estate visit here http://www.royallepagepei.com/