Find the right buyers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSellers who use a real estate agent usually gain much more exposure in the market than those who don\u2019t. A good agent builds quality relationships within the industry so should have an extensive list of beneficial contacts, particularly hot buyers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHot buyers are those who are currently looking for a property to buy. They may have looked at something similar through your agent but just missed out. The agent knows they\u2019re actively looking and what they are looking for, which enables him or her to bring serious buyers into your potential buyer pool.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nAn agent may also have media contacts from newspapers, property boards and the internet, which makes it easier for them to get your property noticed.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>#5 Negotiation Skills<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\nWhether you\u2019re selling privately or at auction, good negotiation skills are crucial in a successful sale. Some people are born negotiators but most need to hone their skills through years of experience. Using a real estate agent gives you access to a skilled and experienced negotiator, which can mean the difference between a good sale price and a great one.<\/span><\/p>\nCASE STUDY
\n<\/span>During a property sale, no one really knows how much the property will sell for. The agent has a well-supported expectation based on market research, the seller knows what they want and the buyer knows what they want to pay, but the final price always goes in favour of the best negotiator.<\/p>\nBec, a Gold Coast mum, recently purchased her first home. She fell in love with it the minute she walked in but wasn\u2019t sure if it was in her price range because it was going under the hammer. Her ideal price was $515,000 and she went to the auction with this in mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nOn auction day, there was only one other bidder, who reached their limit at $470,000. Feeling excited, Bec bid against the vendor, via the auctioneer, until the price hit $515,000 \u2013 clearly the reserve price. But now came the most crucial part of the auction process \u2013 the negotiation.<\/span><\/p>\nThe auctioneer went back and forth between Bec and the seller, while the agent stayed with Bec, gauging her position and encouraging her to go for it. As the price increased, Bec reached her maximum of $530,000, but the seller wanted more. The teamwork between the agent and auctioneer worked well for the seller, and Bec organised a $5,000 loan from family and purchased the property for $535,000.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWithout their negotiation team, the seller would likely not have gotten so close to their ideal price because Bec would not have stretched so far past her ideal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nUsing a real estate agent can easily earn you an extra $5,000\u2013$10,000 for your property simply through the art of negotiation.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>#6 Trust & Reputation<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\nUsing an agent not only brings experience to the sale, it also brings trust. Buyers are familiar with the process of buying through an agent. The process is professional and the agent\u2019s reputation reassures the buyer. It is less common to buy directly from the seller, which adds a level of discomfort for the buyer. This can drastically reduce the amount of serious buyer interest, which reduces competition and drives down the price.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nAn agent\u2019s job is to get the best price possible in current market conditions, so it is beneficial to use a real estate agent with a great reputation.<\/span><\/p>\n[do action=”ds_cta_undraw” imageurl=”\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/illustration_search.png” heading=”Speak with a reputable agent in your area” desc=” Use our easy search tool to compare agents.” buttonlink=”\/your-best-agent” buttoncta=”Find a local agent” \/]\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n