Last week we posted Part 1 of “4 Questions To Ask Your Broker Before Listing and How Do Their Answers Compare to An All Cash Buyer?” We recognized however that this list was short, and there are probably a lot more questions going through your head about what to ask your real estate broker. Therefore, we have decided to continue with a Part 2 series, identifying the next four most important questions you can ask your broker; and again, outlining how our process differentiates from theirs.
In case you missed Part 1, here is what we covered: What are your fees? Can you explain the process of selling to me? What’s the best price you think my home can sell for? Can you guarantee that price? How long do you think it will take to close on my home? So, without further a dew let’s look at a four more questions to ask your broker.
1 – What is your average list-price-to-sales-price ratio?
For this question there is no single answer that is correct – the answer depends on the real estate agent you are interviewing. However, it is vital to recognize the importance of their response. To get started, you need to understand: What is a list-price-to-sales-price ratio? This is the correlation between the listing price the agent will take your home to market versus the price they will actually close on. An accurate assessment of your home’s value would bring this ratio close to one, or 100%. If there is a large discrepancy in this number, it should be a sign that the agent you are interviewing is not the right one for you.
At Gulf State Homebuyers, we match our offer. We have valued hundreds of homes and are constantly staying active and knowledgeable on current market trends. Therefore, the offer that we provide is the price that we close on.
2 – What marketing tools will you use to market my home?
An effective broker will have an array of marketing tools that they will use to effectively market your home. These tools can include: creating appealing brochures of your home and sending them to their list of active agents and investors, committing to open houses, and/or posting your home on various online platforms. You will want to be sure to fully understand the strategy they will be using. An agent who does not utilize every effective method may be leaving your money on the table.
We make this simple. We use no agents and we do not need marketing material. We have the capital to buy your home at the price we offer. This allows you to be stress-free about whether or not your home is being marketed competitively.
3 – How will we be communicating and how often will you send me updates?
This may seem like a silly question. However, since all agents and brokers are different, it is key that you understand how and when you can expect your agent to communicate with you. Again, there is no exact approach to this – it all depends on your preference. Nevertheless, be sure that your agent understands your expectations before getting started with him or her.
First let’s recognize that selling to an all cash buyer reduces stress because the process is condensed to as few as five days. Our communication is simple and direct. To get started, we assess your home’s value and send you our offer. If you accept, we prepare the paperwork then contact you so that you can come sign and collect.
4 – What are the closing costs?
Closing costs on a home in Texas can range from 2% – 5% of the homes purchase price. Remember though, this is in addition to the agent fees you will be paying. Ensure that you fully understand what you as the seller are responsible for so that you can have an estimate of the profit you will actually make after selling your home via an agent.
Selling to us you are responsible for ZERO closing costs. We cover all fees associated with closing the home. As said multiple times, the offer we provide is the amount you get to take home in your pocket.
The most important recommendation we can make to anyone considering working with an agent is that they fully understand the process of selling their home, their responsibilities and their agents’ responsibilities, as well as the fees they will be paying. There are so many factors that can impact the sale of a home on the open market and the wrong decision can lose you, the home seller, money.
However, if you want to make the sale quick and simple, contact us today and we can help you get into your next home quickly!