As a seller, it can seem overwhelming to try to anticipate and coordinate every step necessary to ready your home to show, list, market, and sell. An experienced real estate professional who is knowledgeable in all phases of real estate can make the process much easier. You do not need to have real estate expertise if you engage a real estate professional who does. No matter how long you have lived in your home, a real estate professional in the local area will know considerably more about the sale price history and market trends than you do. Since a real estate agent is paid a commission of your selling price, it is in his or her best interest to price your property effectively. They want to earn the highest commission possible, but they also want to guarantee the sale within a reasonable amount of time. Real estate agents network with other professionals, many of whom provide services that you will need if you want to buy or sell a home. They can advise on service providers’ reputations and provide references who have worked with providers in the past. Agents either possess intimate knowledge about your area or have the contacts and resources to find the necessary information. They can identify comparable sales, in addition to pointing you in the direction of sources where you can find more data on schools, crime, or other demographics to provide potential buyers. For example, you may know that a home down the street was on the market for $350,000, but an agent will know it had upgrades and sold at $285,000 after 65 days on the market and after twice falling out of escrow. A real estate agent will also have market condition data, which will affect your selling process. Many factors determine how you will proceed. Data such as the average per-square-foot cost of
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