When should you hire a real estate agent?

Sooner or later, many property sellers ask themselves whether and when it is worth using a real estate agent to sell their property.

Before I answer this question, I would like to start with a fundamental thought.

Suppose you had to carry out a project:

• Several hundred thousand euros are at stake
• Where you can contribute very little professional experience
• Where you can lose a lot of money
• In which time plays an important role

Would you feel comfortable if you were on your own for this project? How would you rate the chances of success if you had an expert at your side who has already carried out such projects umpteen times?

Only everyone can answer these questions for themselves. In reality, there are actually only two reasons why property sellers do not hire a real estate agent: A real estate agent costs money and many private sellers think they can sell their property better themselves. If you also belong to this group that initially decides against using an estate agent, this article can provide you with valuable help. It will show you how to recognize when it is high time to call in professional help from a real estate agent.

Reason no. 1: Prospective buyers don't buy your property even though they like it

Perhaps you are familiar with the situation: you keep having viewings and prospective buyers tell you that you have an attractive property and that it is on the shortlist. But nothing else happens. Neither do interested parties get in touch again, nor can a notary appointment be arranged. Each time you ask yourself why on earth people don't buy your property if they like it so much.

The solution to the puzzle is that prospective buyers only pretend to like the property, but in reality they are afraid to tell you the truth. It is much easier to compliment someone on their property than to criticize them. The latter could lead to unpleasant scenes and most people would rather avoid that.

If you are in this situation, you have two problems: you still need a buyer and you don't know what really bothers prospective buyers about your property. If they were aware of it, you might be able to do something about it and sell your property. Often it's just a matter of small things that could easily be changed.

If you had commissioned an estate agent, they would be able to speak much more openly with prospective buyers than if you were there. A real estate agent finds out the real reasons and can focus on them during negotiations. A huge difference!

Reason no. 2: When negotiations with interested parties come to nothing

Sometimes your viewing was actually successful and you are already negotiating the purchase price with the interested parties. Nevertheless, there is always a point at which negotiations break off without results.

The reason for this could be that you lack experience with real estate negotiations. For buyers, buying a property always means being prepared to make compromises, as the perfect property rarely exists. Real estate agents have a good deal of negotiating skill and are able to make your property appealing to prospective buyers so that it is easy to compromise. We negotiate like this every day!

Reason no. 3: If no one responds to the ad (anymore)

You have advertised your property and no interested parties have come forward. Or there were initially interested parties, but your property has become quiet in the meantime. This is a serious sign for which there can be several reasons. It could be the price, the marketing channel or the way you are marketing your property. A professional real estate agent always has a coherent marketing concept that is tailored to the specific requirements of the property. This is the basic prerequisite for successfully marketing a property.

It's a truism: you can't sell your property without prospective buyers. So you need to change your strategy as quickly as possible. The smartest thing to do would be to seek the advice of a real estate agent and listen to their marketing strategy. If you would like to find out more about our real estate sales concept, give us a call. The consultation is of course free of charge and does not commit you to anything.

Other reasons when a real estate agent makes sense

If you have read this article carefully up to this point, you will know the three most important situations in which a real estate agent can be of excellent help to you. If you also have one or more reasons from the following list, there is no alternative to choosing a real estate agent.

• Very busy and inflexible at work
  Many are unavailable due to their work and can therefore only arrange viewings at the weekend or late in the evening. Even telephoning prospective buyers at work is often only tolerated by the boss for a while. These are not ideal conditions for quickly finding a solvent buyer for your property.
• If you have never sold a property before
  If you want to sell a property for the first time in your life, you should not attempt to do so unprepared and without experts. All too quickly, costly mistakes can be made that even a real estate agent cannot repair. In the end, it will cost you money.
• If you are planning to go on vacation
  Time is money - even in the real estate business. Most real estate sales have a deadline by which the property must be sold. But everyone needs a vacation sometimes. A real estate agent can help you get your rest and find a buyer for your property at the same time.
• If you live far away from your property
  Selling a property is often a time-consuming process. Let go of the idea that you place an ad, do a few viewings and your property is sold. If you don't live near your property, the sale can be very, very time-consuming. An estate agent who works locally can carry out regular viewings - even at short notice.

As you can see, there are many reasons for using a professional real estate agent. If you are currently selling a property or are planning to do so in the near future, you are welcome to contact us. Our real estate agents will be happy to discuss your project with you.