Property Knowledge Centre → Who Will Actually Handle the Sale of My Property?
Who Will Actually Handle the Sale of My Property?
Who will actually handle the sale of my property? It may not always be the person who conducts your appraisal or wins the listing, so establish who will be responsible for each important part of your campaign before you appoint an agency.
Real estate agencies operate under different models. Some provide a highly individual service where the listing agent remains directly involved throughout the sale. Others operate with larger teams where different people are responsible for prospecting, inspections, buyer follow-up, administration, negotiation or other parts of the campaign.
There is nothing inherently wrong with a team structure. A good team can provide substantial support. The important issue for the seller is knowing who is doing what and who remains accountable for the result.
Ask who will conduct your open for inspections and private appointments. These people are meeting prospective buyers face to face, hearing their questions, observing their reactions and gathering information that can become important later in the campaign.
Then establish who will follow up the buyers. Buyer follow-up is not simply asking whether somebody liked the property. It involves understanding their level of interest, circumstances, other properties they are considering, concerns, price position and what may be required to move them towards making a decision.
Negotiation is particularly important. Ask whether the person sitting at your appraisal will personally negotiate with interested buyers or whether that responsibility will be passed to somebody else. Experience can matter considerably when several buyers are involved or when an offer requires careful negotiation rather than a simple acceptance or rejection.
If you are considering an auction campaign, ask who will conduct the auction. Is the auctioneer the agent responsible for your campaign, another experienced person within the agency or an external auctioneer? Understanding this before you appoint the agency avoids assumptions later.
You should also know who will interpret buyer feedback and advise you on strategy. Information gathered during a campaign needs to be analysed in the context of comparable sales, competing properties, buyer behaviour and your objectives. That requires judgement as well as communication.
Seniority on the listing presentation is not the same as seniority throughout the campaign. If the experience of a particular agent is one of the reasons you are appointing the agency, establish how involved that person will remain once the authority is signed.
A Director-led or senior-agent-led model can provide continuity when the person helping establish the strategy remains directly involved in buyer communication, feedback, negotiation and the major decisions throughout the campaign. Whatever model an agency uses, the seller should understand it before making a decision.
Before you sign, ask a simple question: “Who will actually handle my property from beginning to end?” Then ask who is responsible for inspections, buyer follow-up, feedback, negotiation, auctioneering where applicable and your day to day communication.
Related Questions
Will I Actually Speak to the Agent I Listed My Property With?
How Many Other Properties Is My Agent Juggling at the Same Time?
What Happens to My Listing if My Agent Changes Roles or Leaves the Agency?
If you are considering selling, ask not only which agency you are appointing, but who will personally remain responsible for your property throughout the campaign. To discuss a Director-led approach to your sale, request a professional property appraisal with Clements International.