REAL ESTATE How to choose an agent

Stephan Schade from Twin Key Real Estate offers his professional advice on how to make sure you choose the right Agent to buy or sell your property

So how do I find the right broker? In general, two criteria are essential: 1) I must trust the broker 2) The broker must work professionally Criterion 1 cannot be evaluated objectively, it is a feeling. I have to have a good "gut feeling" that I am in the right hands. Have a conversation with the brokers you are considering and choose the one with whom the feeling is "right“. Criterion number 2 can be evaluated more objectively, but it is not easy for an outsider either. Does he or she work professionally because he or she has already sold many properties? And at what number does "many" start? Or because he looks after many properties? Is he professional because he wears a suit? Because he belongs to the agency of a well known brand? Because my neighbour/friend/acquaintance recommended him? So what should I look for when choosing?

a) He should have a clarifying consultation with you at the beginning. He should answer all my questions, explain the entire sales process (if wished), explain the "do's and don'ts" when selling a property, what to look out for during viewings and generally invest some time in you and your property for this conversation. He should also be able to answer questions satisfactorily, not only about the price with which he values my property (see last month's article), but also about how he gets to the price or, as we have already seen earlier, how he gets to the price range. If he prefers to present a written price assessment later, this speaks for him, not against him! The price range should be realistic (in order to be able to judge this, one must of course have done one's "homework" (see last month's article). A deviating price assessment is not negative per se, as long as he can justify it. Caution, warning lights should go on if he has a price "ready" directly without a big inspection, or if he cannot offer a price range himself, but the one I have quoted "is correct" and he asks you to sign the brokerage contract directly. The more the estate agent asks, the better it is. The time frame in which you would like to sell should also be included, this is very important for correct pricing! b) The more properties he has already sold, the greater his experience, but not necessarily a guarantee that he will work professionally. You should also ask whether he has sold these properties personally or whether it was his agency or colleagues who sold them. c) Even after signing the brokerage contract, he should "look after" you and at least find

What our clients say about us (sellers): S Stephan was extremely reliable and always prompt. What impressed us most was his realistic assessment of the sales price. K+S. Steiner My warm thoughts go back to Stephan Schade, who sold my house in 2020. His skill, sincerity and honesty made me completely calm during the selling process. Eva Norén

TWIN KEY Real Estate is a brand of Ria Homes Ida, AMI 13528, NIPC 514 298 677

time now and then to inform you about the status of the sale. With a property portfolio of up to 20 or 30 properties per agent, this can be managed. An agent with 40 or even more properties in his portfolio will not be able to find this time. Professional and personal support is practically no longer possible or only very reduced in terms of time. d) Punctuality is the courtesy of kings (Louis XIV). Nowadays not only of kings, but also and especially of real estate agents. Not necessarily a sole criterion for exclusion, but many drops hollow the stone.... e) Appearance: under no circumstances should the man/woman of your choice appear at an appointment (whether with you or a buyer) in a jogging suit or similar. A well-groomed appearance is an absolute must. Ideally, a suit is the order of the day, but something more casual will also do (also depends on the climatic situation). f) Accessibility: one of the main reasons why private sellers are less successful than estate agents is their accessibility or lack thereof. It is therefore all the more important for an estate agent to be available at short notice. And if he is in the middle of a conversation and cannot answer, he should at least call you back on the same day (please make sure that you have not a „private number" on your mobile phone, otherwise with the best will in the world he will not be able to call you back). The same applies to e-mails. Sometimes these end up in the spam folder, but a thorough broker also looks at this from time to time! g) Another indication of his professionalism or that of his agency are the properties offered by his agency on the internet. Photos are the first contact a potential buyer has with the property. Before he reads through any text, he looks at the photos and sorts the property into the „it-is a-possibility" or the "rubbish bin" folder. Photos are therefore very important! They should obviously have been taken by a professional photographer and not by the estate agent himself with his mobile phone. This can often be seen in the photos themselves (lack of sharpness, incidence of light, etc.), but also in what is depicted. If you see rooms with lowered blinds, open toilet lids, untidy rooms, underwear, etc., or if nothing at all is visible, these are clear signs of amateur work. You should not work with an agency that lacks such basic knowledge, no matter how nice the employee is. h) A professional also advises you on measures to make the sale of my property easier/better. What can/should or even must be done to significantly increase your chances of a speedy or even value-increasing sale (e.g. renovations, repairs, homestaging, etc.) and, in the best case, even has contacts to appropriate service providers. i) Does belonging to a big, well-known brand automatically make him a professional? Definitely NOT! It increases the likelihood that he has received some training, but it is not a guarantee. And there are enough training seminars online these days from neutral providers and institutions. j) Ideally, I can get experience with this broker from friends, neighbours, acquaintances, etc., if they have already worked with him. However, it is advisable to get more than one or two opinions. k) Last but not least, a professional should not be afraid to confront me with unpleasant truths, e.g. regarding my own price assessment, condition of the property, chances of sale, etc.. If well-founded, this only speaks for him/her. However, as the owner, you must also be professional enough to accept the differing opinion and at least consider that the professional could be right! If you decide to embark on the adventure of "selling your property" with an estate agent, you should be aware that this game is a team game. Even the best estate agent will fail if you, the owner, sit back and think that the agent will "rock the stage". Of course, he will take on many, not to say most, of the tasks, but it will not be entirely without you. The most important of your contributions here is price fixing. He could be a "super broker“, but if I set the price at twice or three times the market price? How is he supposed to present your house well at viewings if I don't clean it, don't tidy it up, but am present at viewings and say things that are counterproductive for the sale? It only works together and it's best to let the professional take the lead (and if you really trust him, it is the best you can do to have success). For that, you as the owner just have to make sure in advance that you are also working with a professional. But with the above points, you now have a guide that makes it easier to "back the right horse".

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