What to Ask When Selling Your Northwoods Property
When selling real estate in Northern Wisconsin or Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, choosing the right listing agent is crucial to achieving a successful sale. Your best agent is your partner in the process, so it’s important to ensure they have the expertise, resources, and dedication to get the job done. Here are some key questions to ask when deciding who to hire as your listing agent:
Are you a full-time agent?
A full-time agent is more likely to be committed to your sale, with the experience and availability to focus on your property. This can make a significant difference in how quickly and efficiently your property sells.
How many active buyers do you have in your database?
An agent with a robust database of active buyers can potentially connect your property with interested parties quickly. Ask if they can search for the most likely buyers for your specific type of property. Does the agent maintain their own database or would the brokerage have the ability to search for likely buyers throughout the company who may be a great fit for your property?
How is the current market?
Understanding the current market conditions in Northern Wisconsin and the Michigan Upper Peninsula is vital. A knowledgeable agent should provide insights into market trends, buyer behavior, and pricing strategies to maximize your sale.
What kinds of marketing do you use?
Effective marketing is key to attracting the right buyers. Ask your agent about their marketing strategies, including online listings, print advertising, and local outreach. Inquire whether they utilize professional quality photography, video tours, and drone footage to showcase your property in the best possible light. How active is your agent and his/her brokerage firm on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, X, and also on Google?
What do you recommend for staging?
Staging can make a property more appealing to buyers by highlighting its best features. A good agent will advise on what steps are recommended for your property and can connect you with professional assistance if warranted. There are many low cost steps that can make a substantial difference to your appeal inside and out, which will ultimately affect photography, showings, and offers. Staging starts with decluttering, cleaning, replacing any burned out light bulbs, and other straightening inside the home or cabin. Raking, mowing, blowing, and a gardening touch-up can do wonders to your exterior appeal! All the time and effort made upfront to prepare your property will pay off in a quicker and more profitable sale!
Anything that needs fixing will be a red flag for buyers, and cause them to wonder what deferred maintenance might exist at the property in addition to a visible defect. If it does not get fixed before listing the property for sale, you’ll want to talk with your agent about strategies for overcoming that obstacle with prospective buyers.
Do you obtain buyers from social media?
In today’s digital age, social media is a powerful tool for reaching potential buyers. Ask your agent how they leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to attract buyers and generate interest in your property.
Tell us about the properties you have listed and sold in the last year?
The properties an agent has listed and sold in the past year can give you an idea of their experience and success rate. Also, inquire about the types of properties they’ve sold, number of sales, and challenges they overcame, to ensure they have experience with to handle your transaction smoothly.
What is your median sales price and median number of days on market?
These metrics provide insight into how effectively an agent can sell properties in your area. A lower median number of days on the market suggests the agent is skilled at pricing and marketing properties competitively.
Do you work independently or as part of a team to get your listings sold?
Some brokerages have a cut-throat culture where the agents compete with each other as well as other sales associates in the market. One agent handles virtually all aspects of your listing from initial research, pricing, staging, photos, social media, showings, offers, and the whole process of nurturing that transaction to a successful closing. Others have a collaborative culture, sharing ideas, and utilize a strong support team to assist an agent through the process, keeping all parties on track, with a host of in-office services.
What happens if I’m not happy with your service?
It’s important to know what recourse you have if the agent’s service doesn’t meet your expectations. Ask about their policies for addressing dissatisfaction and who in their brokerage addresses complaints in case a problem develops with your agent directly.
Choosing the right listing agent requires careful consideration. By asking these questions, you can ensure you’re partnering with a professional agent who will work tirelessly to sell your property for the best price in the shortest time possible, and is part of a strong and reputable brokerage that also advocates for their clients.
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