With every real estate agent claiming to be the best, it can be hard to judge just who to choose.

Start with the end in mind. When deciding to sell, most sellers start with the thought process of: “How do I begin this process?”, “What should I look for in an agent?’ and “What’s the best commission deal I can get?’

A better way to approach the sales process is to begin with the end in mind. “What price would I be happy with?”, What skills will my agent need to have in order for me to get a great price?” and “What systems are in place to ensure buyers are brought to my door?”.

From this newer prospective, you will know what to look for in an agent. To follow are the Success keys for a selling program that will assist you to choose the best agent that will result in a successful sale.

1. Aim for a great result, not just a fast one Selling fast means your agent can pick up their commission and quickly move on to the next property. While it’s great for them, it can leave you substantially short-changed. At Property Central our focus is always to deliver the best possible sales price. We will never leave you wondering, “Could I have done better?”

2. Don’t rely on reputation to sell your property While some high profile agents attract many listings, the effort they spend on each can be minimal. The fact is, if you want great results you need an agent dedicated to achieving them. Property Central’s experienced sales agents are backed by a dedicated marketing and support team, all working together to bring you more buyers and a bigger sales price.

3. Look for negotiation not success skills Most sellers want a great price when selling. Yet, they often will hire agents based on their “discounted fees”. It is an established fundamental that skilful negotiators achieve great selling prices. They do not, as Sales Professionals, discount their own fees…..or your PRICE! The difference between a discount agent and a SKILLED NEGOTIATOR is often less than 1%. This 1% can be transformed into a 10% high er price at the end of the negotiating process. So ensure your agent has a good track record for results, and a GREAT TRACK RECORD AS A NEGOTIATOR

4. How do I price my home? This can be a confusing area. You could get 5 agents’ opinions and all could vary greatly. Who is right? Our suggestion is don’t look at the price given; look at the agent’s research. Ask the agent “what properties are you comparing mine with?” Check things such as: land size, views, presentation, renovations, equal bedrooms and bathrooms and desirability of location. It’s not the number of agents that you have to look at your property that will give you a realistic price it’s more likely to be an understanding of comparable properties. Do the ‘Open House’ circuit to get a feel for the market place. A better question to ask an agent is ‘How are you going to get that price?” Without a strategy behind a price you are in grave danger of becoming just another overpriced home on the market

5. Find a skilled agent working to be even better Results; as great as they have been; are not EVERYTHING. We earn the right to a client’s business through being professional and improving our skills. As part of the Real Estate Results Network, we are working to further develop the skills of our team and implement strategies to deliver you the very best in service and results. Our team train regularly and have access to our own in house library full of vital information to assist our team in achieving the very best price for your property. The good news is these skills can be put to work for you today. Selling has changed, yet most of the Real Estate industry has not. Property Central sales consultants are highly trained, highly skilled and above all, highly passionate about getting results that exceed expectations. Our success has been highlighted at the 2008 Real Estate Results Network awards where Property Central was recognised as the Rising Star Agency of the Year and Network Innovator of the Year.

6. Gain maximum exposure for your property Which marketing strategy you use to sell the property depends on the state of the market, the area that you are in and your personal circumstances. Beware of any agent who is pushing only ‘one type of barrow’ ie; ‘auction only’ or ‘for sale only’. Always ask the agent about alternative strategies and what the positives and negatives are of each. When it comes to promoting your biggest asset, take a tip from the big companies such as Coca Cola and McDonalds …. advertising works. Marketing is an investment in spreading the biggest net possible over all your potential buyers. It needs to be done intelligently and effectively.