Getting ready to sell your house or buying a new home is one of the many reasons why you need to figure out how much your home is worth.
Unfortunately, when coming up with an amount – what the seller spent on renovations, the number they need to get even, the buyer’s budget, the asking price on MLS listings, or also the sentimental value it holds – it plays no part in crunching numbers for it to sell.
For that reason, it’s crucial to invest in a real estate agent as they will have access to multiple listing service database of homes in your area, which should enable them to make an accurate comparative analysis. To that end, here are some questions you need to consider when hiring a real estate agent:
- What are your credentials?
- How many sales did you close last year?
- Do you specialize in this neighbourhood?
- How do you arrive at the listing price?
- How much will selling my home cost?
- What is your sales plan?
- What should I do to get my house ready?
- How will we communicate?
- How long will the process take?
Factors to Consider When Hiring a Real Estate Agent
1. Must Understand What Home Market Value Really Means
First and foremost, you can make better decisions when you have a better understanding of the facts. And the points of what makes a home market value doesn’t include your monthly mortgage payment or your opinion of how much potential your house shows. Instead, the buyer is interested in the following:
Location: Buyers love homes that reside near convenient stops like highways, schools, entertainment districts, and shopping centres.
Safety: The state of your neighbourhood and house will make or break your house’s value, and anything that poses as a threat can negatively impact their decision. In that regard, learn about your neighbourhood’s crime rate and other factors like the quality of its electrical lines or even the sidewalk.
Curb Appeal: If the exterior of your house matches the taste of the buyer’s, then you’re off to a good start!
Square Footage: This is important as they will need to know if your house has enough space to accommodate their family and needs.
Number of Rooms: The ratio between bathrooms and bedrooms matters, especially if the buyer has a big family to cater to.
Updated Appliances: Your appliances may seem like display for you, but outdated appliances mean the buyer will need to make more room for a new fridge, dishwasher, and other items in their budget, all of which can quickly turn off a buyer.
2. Knows How to Dig Deeper into the Home’s Value
A real estate agent should help you in comparing other properties in your area and use other factors such as the current market conditions, maintenance cost, depreciation, home improvements, neighbourhood, size and other factors that are important to achieve an accurate estimate.
You can check with your local government if the features of the house are assessed correctly as you have up to 30 days to challenge the bill if you deem it necessary. This isn’t recommended, however, to those who are buying or selling in a hurry as an appeal could take as long as a year to resolve.
If you’re looking for a Real Estate Agent in Windsor, get in touch with us today! We’re happy to help find the perfect property for you.
