The deceased person’s home and other property will likely need to be sold while you serve as executor of the estate. Even if you’re expecting to save money on real estate agent fees by selling the house yourself, you should know that it may be a very challenging process. Using the advice of an objective real estate professional can provide beneficiaries peace of mind that they are benefiting from the best possible decisions being made on their behalf. Everything from setting the asking price to preparing the property for sale to managing the sale itself is part of this procedure.
Using a real estate agent is advantageous since you won’t have to waste time showing the property to potential buyers if you have a busy schedule or don’t live in the neighbourhood. Moreover, individuals who see the property are more likely to be candid about their thoughts with a real estate agent as opposed to someone close to the deceased, allowing you to get insight into how to make the home more appealing to prospective buyers. So you should consider the below details for hiring a realtor .
See their track record of closing deals to see whether they are capable of selling your home.
As compared to what other businesses, how successful is the real estate agent’s operation? Find out how long their properties have been sitting on the market, on average, over the last two years, and how much of the asking price they were able to get. You shouldn’t feel bad about asking the real estate agent a lot of tough questions since you’ll be paying them a lot of money. Find out how long they’ve been working in the field; if they’re just starting out, you may want to think twice before hiring them.
Know which areas are their forte before hiring them.
As different real estate brokers focus on different sections of a city, it’s important to find one who lists and sells a lot of homes in the area where the deceased individual resided. Looking at their current ads and completed deals may provide you insight into this. While meeting with the realtor, it’s a good idea to bring up any other homes that you know of that are on the market in the region. You should also inquire as to whether or not the realtor has visited the homes listed by your competition.
Get in touch with the realtor’s past customers.
Previous customers of the agency will be in the best position to comment on their service, such as the agent’s level of attention and the originality of their ideas for attracting buyers to the home. It’s smart to find out how long it typically takes for an agent to return a call. One additional thing going for it is how responsive and helpful they were when you had questions regarding the process’s technical aspects.
Be sure they have all the required permits.
Every state has a board that issues licences. Make sure your agent’s licence hasn’t been revoked or suspended, and find out if any complaints have been filed or legal action has been taken against them.