Boston Condos for Sale
Boston real estate for sale: Selecting the proper broker
Buying or selling a downtown Boston condo is a huge deal, and it’s one of the most critical financial choices you’ll ever make. Finding an experienced Boston real estate professional to help you through the process is crucial.
Plenty of Boston real estate agents compete for the position through online advertisements, posters, and yard signs, but with so many to choose from, it can be tough to find the right one. To ensure you employ the best realtor, follow these tips:
Before you employ a Boston real estate broker, speak with a lender
Before speaking with a lender, some Boston condo buyers employ a realtor and begin their home quest. Most experts advise speaking with a lender first to determine how much you can pay.
Pre-approval for a mortgage
This will give you an idea of how much you can borrow and recognize any problems that need to be addressed early on in the process. This keeps you focused on homes in your price range and shows prospective realtors (and sellers) that you’re serious about buying. In competitive markets as in downtown Boston, buyers will need a pre-approval letter before considering your bid.
Recognize the distinction between a real estate broker and a real estate agent
A Boston real estate agent is a licensed professional who must pass an exam before selling or purchasing a home on behalf of a customer. After passing a broker’s license exam and completing any state-mandated education, agents can advance to the real estate broker position. Brokers also employ many agents.
On the other hand, a realtor belongs to the National Association of REALTORS®, which is a distinct body with its own set of rules. These principles include reporting any possible conflicts of interest, not intervening in transactions, and upfront disclosure of all commissions and fees ahead of time.
Obtain references and Google Reviews
Inquire among your friends and family to see if they can suggest a realtor with whom they have had a great experience. You’ll want someone who has worked with people close to you in the past. For instance, the requirements of first-time buyers vary from those of repeat buyers or homeowners looking to downsize.
Responsiveness
What qualities do you look for in a Boston real estate agent?
The most critical trait of a realtor is their responsiveness. Houses sell quickly in the hot market that most areas are experiencing right now. Being the first to make a bid may often mean the difference between having your dream home or being hung out to dry.
Check with your friends and associates to see if their realtor was responsive. Is it true that they didn’t pick up their phone calls? Do they respond to emails quickly? While it can seem needy, everyone in this business understands that timely contact is a critical part of the job.
A full-time agent
Check to see if the realtor is a full-time professional rather than someone who does it on the side as a hobby. Inquire about their credentials, such as their real estate license, the length of time they’ve been in business, and the number of transactions they complete each month. After the introduction of HGTV, many people have become real estate agents in the hopes of becoming wealthy quickly, even though it is a demanding career requiring ability and time.
While a realtor is simply a salesperson, if you get a sleazy or pushy vibe from them, it’s time to step away. You should never feel obligated to buy a home or accept an offer you don’t want.
What are some good questions to ask prospective Boston real estate brokers?
So, how do you narrow down the choices and choose the best one? The trick is to ask each candidate pertinent questions.
- How many other buyers do you have on your books right now?
- How do you go about discovering new properties?
- What are the methods for coping with various offers?
- Can you have references from customers with whom you’ve previously worked?
- Is your buyer’s broker agreement exclusive or non-exclusive, and what is included in it?
- If I am unhappy with your representation, what sort of assurance do you provide?
- Are you a paying affiliate, or do you deal for other suppliers, such as mortgage lenders, mortgage insurance firms, or title companies?
- How much do you charge as a percentage?
- Will I be directly working with you, or will I be mainly working with an associate?
- Do you work as a real estate agent part-time or full-time?
- What are your contact hours and usual methods of communication?
- Is your license in good standing, and have you ever been the subject of a complaint?
- How long have you worked as a Boston real estate agent, and what kind of continuing education do you take each year?
Since not all of them would apply to your case, concentrate on the ones that make sense and provide you with the details you require. Don’t jump into a contract with the first real estate agent you encounter when you decide it’s time to buy a house. Take the time to thoroughly investigate them. Putting in this effort will pay off throughout the home-buying process.
Boston Condos for Sale
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Boston real estate for sale is a huge undertaking especially when selecting the proper Boston real estate broker. A lot of the process can feel like it’s out of your control. So, finding the right real estate agent to sell it for you is a huge part of managing a successful sale! One of the safest ways to pick the right listing agent is to make sure you don’t fall for some of the typical real estate trappings. Learning a little bit about the process will help you know what to expect and what to look for. If you as a seller is educated, you can make the experience much less stressful from start to finish.
WHY GET A BROKER?
It is a challenge to sell a Boston condo for sale. This is true, in general, but especially nowadays with the continuously changing Boston real estate market. A real estate agent can be a great asset when it comes to selling your Beacon Hill condo. They will bring their expertise, help you determine a fair price, and help you market the home to get more potential buyers through the property. They will also help you with the other parts of the sale, such as negotiations and reviewing contracts. You might feel uncomfortable saying no to offers or bargaining. However, if you hire a listing agent, you’ll have someone who will do that for you. They will also have your best interest at heart. You’ll also be able to go to them with any real estate questions you may have throughout the process.
It’s important to know how to choose a great listing agent because they are the ones that can market your Beacon Hill condo to potential buyers and other real estate agents. They’ll know where and how to advertise your home to sell your property fast. Furthermore, they will be the ones organizing viewings and helping you communicate with prospective buyers once offers start rolling in. They do get commission somewhere along the line of 5 to 6 percent of the total price of your home. However, experts say houses sold through listing agents typically sell for much more money than when they are sold through the owner.
THIS IS HOW YOU PICK THE RIGHT BOSTON REAL ESTATE BROKER:
1. ASK AROUND
How do you pick the best Boston real estate broker to sell your Back Bay condo? There are several things to pay attention to. Firstly, listing agents are usually quite aggressive in advertising their services. You shouldn’t have trouble knowing where to go for interviews. It would be a good idea to shop around for a while and see who offers the best conditions and services. Reach out to friends and family who may have sold the property in the past. If they had a great relationship with their past agent, it may be worth the time to give them a call and chat about your real estate goals. Knowing someone who’s had a positive experience with a particular listing agent can go a long way in making you feel comfortable when working with them. Also, check out their Boston real estate Google Reviews
2. STAY IN YOUR LANE
Another Boston real estate tip that experts give when discussing how to pick the right listing agent is to look at a particular agent’s other listings and sales. Your best bet would be to choose someone who is currently selling or has sold properties similar to your own. You should be able to find this and all other pertinent information online. Most real estate agents have a functioning and up-to-date websites that you can consult when considering your options.
3. INTERVIEW
An important part of picking the right listing agent is to actually talk to several of them before making a hire. After doing your research, shortlist the candidates that seem the most promising and set up appointments with them. When making the appointment, let them know that you would like to see a comparative market analysis for your property. You might also want to look at their activity list, i.e. the list of their more recent sales. A comparative market analysis is a report consisting of current market data and trends on comparable properties to your own home. Experts suggest you do your own research on this beforehand, but sometimes websites like Redfin and Zillow can be deceiving, so it’s always good to double-check with the experts.
4. THE FEE
Different listings agents will ask for different fees. Knowing how to read this is an important part of knowing how to pick the best listing agent to sell your Beacon Hill home. If the fee seems too low, you might want to reconsider your options. In this industry, if something seems “too good to be true” oftentimes it is. This may be an agent’s strategy to compete within their very competitive field and can hit you with a surprise fee during the transaction. Some agents may even lower their fee if you’re both selling your old home and buying a new one. (This can be particularly useful for you in different ways. Listing agents are experts in their field and can even recommend the movers you can use to transport your household items.)
5. SETTING THE PRICE
This part might be the key to knowing how to pick the right Boston real estate broker Be wary of prices that seem inflated compared to what your research has shown. Boston real estate agents sometimes promise unrealistic prices just so they could make you give them your business. If the price doesn’t seem right, they may be showing you homes much different from what you’re selling. This is also a warning sign as it shows that they don’t know the market that well, or are being dishonest. Some of the safest and most realistic listing agents will actually give you a range when discussing your selling price.
The right price can determine whether or not you have success selling your Beacon Hill condo in a timely manner. Overpricing can lead to your Boston condo for sale getting stuck in the selling process with no viewings requested. This in turn will make you lower the price which can cause some concern for potential buyers. With the home sitting on the market for quite a few days and then going through a price reduction, this may cause buyers to believe something wrong with the property which in turn will cause your home to sit on the market even longer.
CONCLUSION
There are so many beneficial reasons why you should hire a listing agent to sell your Boston Midtown condo for sale. Although, we just touched on a few benefits, give us a call today for a free consultation! Ford Realty is always more than happy to answer any of your questions. We would love the opportunity to be interviewed as your listing agent and would be more than happy to put together a comparative market analysis so you have a better understanding of your home’s current value. Whether you’re thinking about selling now or in the next year, give us a call so we can chat
