If they brag about their large "staff of assistants", you can bet they aren't talking about personalized service! After the initial meeting with one of these Agents to get a listing contract, you probably will never see or hear from them again! You signed a contract and their sign is in your yard or they sold you a house and they are waiting for their commission. Either way, it's time for them to move on to their next prospect. You thought you hired a Real Estate professional who promised to be personally available to you and had a great marketing program to sell your home. The facts are that these types of Agents are in every community and they operate quite differently from their promises and commitments. True, they may have a large staff but they are there for the agent's benefit NOT to serve you!

You see, for these Agents, it's a numbers game. They need this staff for daily farming, cold calling hundreds of potential prospects, calling to convert "For Sale By Owners", and sending out thousands of mass mailings all with one intent and purpose. Their goal is to contact as many people as possible for the One and Only time you'll ever see them---the meeting to get a signed listing contract. Their marketing program usually is nothing more than their sign in your front yard and a few black and white ads! Their assistant's are great for taking messages for the agent but rarely will you get a return call from the person hired to represent you . . . your Real Estate agent! Now you can leave messages and wait for a return call or you can talk to the assistants who may have neither the expertise, legal authority, knowledge, or experience to negotiate or resolve on your behalf, the many issues that will arise during and after the purchase or sale.

Look Out For the Agent Whose Real Estate
Signs Seem To Be In Every Front Yard!

You can count on the fact that you will be receiving no personalized service or attention from this agent. You will be paying them thousands of dollars to represent you and to personally market your home. The reality of the situation is that after they get you to sign the listing contract, their focus is not selling your home, but to look for new prospects. That's why they have assistants! There are only so many hours in a day and they have to spend their precious time finding new prospects to put more of their Real Estate signs in their yards. They operate on the premise that after you sign their listing agreement, you are legally bound to them and hopefully the other Agents in town will eventually sell your house and they will get their commission from you. Insult to injury . . .you probably won't even see your agent at your closing. They usually send an assistant to pick up their commission check . . . so much for the personalized service you were promised!

There Still Is No Free Lunch!

All too often, certain Agents will offer to sell your home at a substantially reduced commission . . . a commission that no other reputable agent can compete against. So naturally, you fall for the trap and sign a listing agreement with the agent offering you the big commission discount. After all, you are a shrewd business person and have no intention of throwing your money away. What are you getting for your big discount? Do you think it's going to be a massive advertising campaign featuring your home and an expensive marketing program? Dream on!!! As a matter of fact, you will be paying dearly for your discount commission! Remember, the less money your agent spends on advertising and marketing to sell your home, the more they keep no matter how long it takes.

You, however, are losing precious marketing time and money. After all . . . the longer it takes to sell your home, the more mortgage payments you have to make and that can cost you thousands! Keep in mind, don't focus on the selling price of your home - but what you will get to keep in the shortest amount of marketing time!!! So much for that discount commission and those big savings!!! If that isn't enough . . . in the fine print of your discount commission contract, your agent usually requires you to use his lawyer and title company. This will probably cost you thousands! Whose house is it anyway? So much for your discount commission and selling your home on a timely basis!

Buying Your Listing!

So you're relocating and you've got to find an agent fast. You decide to interview several Agents to market your home and determine an appropriate sale price. Beyond their individual experience and credentials to help you decide upon one of them, they have all priced your home comparably. All that is. . . except for one agent. This agent tells you that you can get thousands more for your home than the other Agents. So, naturally, you list your home with this agent. So what happens? Usually your home sits on the market for months while your neighbor's homes are selling in days or weeks. Why? The agent you chose knew exactly what it would take to get your listing. Their thinking is to tell you what you wanted to hear. They'll try to convince you your home is worth thousands more than your neighbors. Now what happens? Well, sadly, your home gets stigmatized with the public and throughout the Real Estate community as an "overpriced" listing with an "unrealistic" seller. You get fewer and fewer showings. To add insult to injury, other Agents start showing your house to buyers to show value to other similar houses in your neighborhood that are listed for a lower price. Now is when your agent goes to work . . . on you!!!

Agents taking overpriced Listings will blame it on the market, economy, or the phase of the moon . . . whatever! It's about this time they will start working you for substantial "Price Reductions" to sell your home. Eventually, you do sell your home and usually at a substantially lower price than the other Agents could have gotten for you in weeks of marketing time instead of months. Don't forget, it has also cost you additional thousands of dollars in monthly mortgage payments. You probably had to remove your sales contract offer for your next dream home all because you hired the wrong agent to market your overpriced listing. At least the agent will thank you for their commission!

If you do not know a Realtor in your area,
Linda will be happy to refer one to you through her
"National Relocation Referral Network". She will find you a
"Top Producing Agent" whether you are buying or selling!  

Contact Linda Today!

Linda Price

RE/MAX of Naperville       Direct: (630) 753-1333       Office: (630) 420-1220 x3083       Toll Free: (800) 638-1220

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