Find Realtors & Real Estate Agents in Maricopa AZ

The difference between a good and a mediocre realtor can make or break your buying or selling experience! Unfortunately, this is something that many in the market for a home or those trying to sell a home find out the hard way.

A good realtor is like a superhero with exceptional market knowledge, excellent communication skills, strong negotiation abilities, attention to detail, and killer marketing strategies. They have a bucket load of experience selling homes in Maricopa, Arizona, if that’s where you want one operating.

On the other hand, a mediocre realtor might need to be more responsive, knowledgeable, and motivated to give you the best experience possible. They are often part-timers with full-time jobs and thus may not be there to answer any questions you might have or assist with negotiating a deal.

As a seller, you should consider a realtor, or a really good one at that, an asset, because they are more than just listing agents. 

So, choose your realtor wisely, as they can make a difference in your real estate journey! Fortunately, we help you choose the right realtor for the job.

DIY Home-Selling Versus Hiring A Realtor

Hiring a real estate agent to sell your home can have several advantages over doing it yourself. Here are some reasons why hiring top real estate agents might be a better choice:

AZ Real Estate Agents have experience and expertise: Maricopa Real estate agents have the knowledge and experience to handle all aspects of selling a home, including pricing, marketing, negotiation, and legal requirements. They can help you avoid costly mistakes and navigate complex transactions.

Wider reach and marketing: A top real estate agent can leverage their network, online resources, and marketing strategies to promote your home to a broader audience. They can also provide professional photography, staging, and other services to make your home attractive to potential buyers. That's why the best realtors can sell your home sooner than if you were to try doing it yourself.

Access to data and analysis: Maricopa Real estate agents are constantly working and thus have access to up-to-date market data and analysis that can help you price your home competitively and make informed decisions about offers and negotiations.

Time-saving and convenience: Selling a home can be time-consuming and stressful. Top agents can handle most of your work, including scheduling showings, hosting open houses, and handling paperwork. In AZ, Maricopa, they can also help by advising you on how best to sell the home sooner rather than later.

However, if you have experience in real estate and feel confident in your ability to handle the process yourself, selling your home without an agent could save you commission fees. It's essential to consider your skills, time availability, and comfort level before selling your home independently. In addition, you should be familiar with the current selling price of homes like yours in the zip codes.

How To Find A Realtor To Sell My House - The Best Maricopa Real Estate Agents?

You can pull up a list of realtors near your home in Google or Google Maps. For instance, all the realtors near Queen Creek RD. This is an excellent place to start and will help you generate a list, which you can then reach out to discuss selling your home.

However, after pulling up a list finding a realtor to sell your house can be a daunting task, but here are some steps you can take to help narrow down the list to a few good ones:

·      Get referrals: Start by asking family, friends, and colleagues if they know any good realtors, especially someone who has sold a home in the past year. Referrals from trusted people can be a great way to find a reputable realtor. A referral does not mean you shouldn’t do your due diligence as part of your search.

·      Research online: Use resources such as real estate websites, social media platforms, and online directories to find realtors in your area. Look for realtors with positive reviews and high ratings. Also, realtors in your area that people seem to be talking about positively. Usually, more prominent realtors will invest time and money in building their online persona.

·      Check credentials: Ensure the realtor is licensed and has no disciplinary actions against them. You can check their credentials with the state's licensing board or the National Association of Realtors. Usually, this may require visiting the NAR’s website and putting in a request.

·      Interview several realtors: Schedule meetings with several realtors to get a sense of their experience, approach, and personality. Ask them about their marketing strategies, pricing strategy, and how they plan to handle negotiations. The most important thing you should ask is what their services offer for the price. You don’t just want a realtor that lists your home and forgets about it.

·      Ask for references: Ask for references from previous clients and contact them to understand their experience working with the realtor. Usually, experienced realtors will be fine, providing you with good references. But you should always check if those references aren’t their friends and family in the location.

·      Compare fees: Ask about the realtor's fees and commission rates. Then compare them to other realtors in the area. While we don’t advise whittling down the list of realtors based on their price, you want to find out if there is room to maneuver.

The steps should help you narrow the list of realtors to a few good ones, which you can further speak with, but there is more to finding realtors in Maricopa.

Steps To Listing A House With A Real Estate Agent

Even if you hire a realtor, it is worth understanding the underlying steps to list a house for sale. As a realtor, here are typical steps you or we would take to list a house include:

·      Prepare the property: Work with the seller to prepare the property for sale. This may include cleaning, decluttering, staging, and repairs or upgrades. That’s because it is only after these tasks are taken care of that the home can be ready for sale.

·      Determine the property's value: A realtor or listing agent will conduct a comparative market analysis (CMA) to determine the property's value. This is often done based on similar properties in the area, market conditions, and other factors. 

·      Create a marketing plan: Develop a marketing plan that includes the best ways to reach potential buyers, such as online listings, social media, open houses, and print advertising. However, the marketing plan may vary depending on the type of property being sold. 

·      Take photos to include in the listing: High-quality photos of the property help create a listing showcasing its best features and benefits.

·      Submit the listing to the MLS: Submit the listing to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), a database of properties for sale that realtors and other professionals in the real estate industry use.

·      Show the property: Schedule and conduct showings of the property for interested buyers, either in person or virtually. This is one of the most important parts of selling a home in Maricopa, Arizona.

·      Receive offers and negotiate: Receive offers from interested buyers and work with the seller to negotiate the terms of the sale, including price, contingencies, and closing dates.

·      Finalize the sale: Once an offer has been accepted, work with the buyer's agent, title company, and other professionals to finalize the sale to ensure a smooth closing process. Usually, this takes more work than it may sound. 

The realtor needs to keep the seller informed and involved, providing regular updates on showings, offers, and any other developments related to the sale. If you hire a realtor to represent you and sell your home, they must keep you looped into every marketing and sale decision they intend to take.

Buyer Versus Seller Agent

Buyer's and seller's agents, also known as listing agents, are both real estate agents who are part of buying or selling a property. Their main difference is who they represent in a real estate transaction.

A buyer's agent represents the interests of the buyer. They work on behalf of the buyer to find properties that meet their needs and negotiate the best possible price and terms. They may also provide advice and guidance throughout the buying process, including helping the buyer secure financing, coordinating inspections, and assisting with paperwork and other details.

A seller's agent, on the other hand, represents the seller's interests. They are responsible for marketing and promoting the property, finding potential buyers, and negotiating the best possible price and terms on behalf of the seller. They may also advise and guide the seller throughout the selling process, including helping to prepare the property for sale, setting a price or budget, handling paperwork, and working out other related details.

Sometimes, a real estate agent may work as a dual agent, representing both the buyer and the seller in a transaction. However, this is generally less common, as it can create potential conflicts of interest. It's essential for buyers and sellers to understand the role of their agent in a real estate transaction and to choose an agent who has their best interests in mind.

The Most Common Mistakes Of Hiring A Realtor To Sell Your Home

The most common mistake you can make as someone who wants to sell their home is not doing research. Trusting a real estate agent to handle everything for you is a good idea, but only after you have vetted and found the right one.

In addition to not researching, here are some common mistakes people make when hiring a realtor to sell their homes in Maricopa, AZ:

Choosing the wrong realtor: Many people make the mistake of choosing a realtor solely based on their relationships, such as a family member or friend, rather than their qualifications and experience. When you do this, you will often end up with a realtor that can’t handle the sale, and thus it is partially up to you to work with them to sell the home.

Need to do more research: Some people must research the realtor's background, track record, or reputation before hiring them, which can lead to a less-than-ideal selling experience. It can also mean that you end up frustrated with the entire process. Many people will cancel the sale only to take a break from it all to gather their thoughts and start again sometime later. This delays selling your home and could also cost you money, depending on why you want to sell.

Not asking the right questions: Sellers may need to ask more about the realtor's experience, marketing strategies, and negotiation skills, which can lead to misunderstandings and misaligned expectations. If anything, the realtor you hire should be a seasoned negotiator; after all, they will represent you when negotiating the price.

Overpricing the home: Some sellers may overprice their home based on emotional attachment or faulty assumptions about the market, which can deter potential buyers and lead to a longer selling process. The pricing should be based on data from the past few months. If you think the market is down in home prices, wait until it rises again.

Neglecting home preparation: Sellers may need to adequately prepare their homes for sale, such as decluttering, cleaning, and staging, making them more attractive to potential buyers. It also means that your home will sell for less than it is worth if it isn't attractive. Speaking of worth, it is worth spending money on hiring a professional to stage your home. This helps ensure the quick sale of a home in most cases.

Being too involved or not involved enough: Some sellers may need to be more involved in the selling process, micromanaging the realtor's decisions, which is never good. Others may not be involved enough and fail to communicate their needs and preferences effectively, which can lead to other problems like the realtor assuming you aren’t serious about selling.

Not considering commission rates: Many homeowners may need to consider the commission rates and fees charged by the realtor, which can impact their net proceeds from the sale. Always get the realtor’s commission figures upfront before hiring them.

While the above are some of the most common mistakes, others may try to sell the home independently. Since we assume you have yet to experience selling a home, this can take forever, and you might often be forced to accept a low price. There is a lot that goes into selling a home than listing it, and once you realize that, it becomes clear how hiring a good realtor can be an asset.

Customize The Contract

Customizing the contract is a big part of choosing a realtor to sell your home. Without reading, you don’t want to sign a contract that the realtor puts before you. In 99% of instances, that contract is made to benefit them at your expense which is why you want to read it.

The typical listing arrangement gives the agent the exclusive right to sell the home. This means you can only go to this agent and ask them to bring in a buyer. If another realtor brings a buyer, both realtors will split the commission. However, you will want to read through the contract to ensure that it does not state anywhere that you can’t accept an offer from a buyer who comes via another realtor.

Commit To The Shortest Listing Period Even For The Best Real Estate Agents

You shouldn’t commit to anything more than three months, with the prospect of renewing the contract if you think things are going well. However, if the agent pushes you to sign a more extended contract and pegs the listing to the average time it takes to sell in Maricopa based on data from your area, then think about it. You will want to examine the data because, most times, it can be skewed in their favor. That said, reputed realtors provide homeowners with good data on which they can base their decision to sell. 

It would be best if you Had A Way Out

Nobody trying to sell a home should end up being stuck with a realtor that is a nightmare to work with. To avoid being stuck with one, you will want to add a sentence to the contract that allows you to cancel that agreement if you are unsatisfied with the agent's performance. Usually, if you sign up with a brokerage, they will assign you another agent, and if stuff still does not work out, you are released from the contract.

When reading the contract, you will want to cross out statements that require you to arbitrate disputes with the agent. You also want the right to take legal action against the realtor and their agency.

Get A Jump On The Market

If you are thinking, I need a real estate agent to sell my home fast; then I would require that the agent list your home within 48 hours of signing the contract. However, you need to ensure that your home is ready to show before that’s done.

Some unscrupulous agents may attempt to pocket your listing in the hopes that they can lend themselves or another agent in the firm a crack at the in-house sale. This will be doubly lucrative for them because the brokerage does not have to share their commission with an agent from the outside.

However, as seasoned realtors, we know that you, as a seller, are better off if the home is exposed to the market and a larger pool of buyers. This is why an in-house sale isn’t going to produce what you want, i.e., the highest bidder, and thus you will not receive the best possible price for the property.

Final Word

The key to finding the right realtor to sell your home is to take your time. Ensure you ask all the questions needed and have thoroughly vetted the professional before signing an agreement with them. This will ensure that you don't have problems with them moving forward, and if you do, you can always cancel the contract.

FAQs

Q. Should I hire a full-time or part-time realtor?

A. Real estate is a unique industry where agents are like cats – independent and free to roam, even if they have a particular broker as their favorite napping spot. These agents are considered independent contractors, which means they have more flexibility in terms of when and how they work. Yet they are meant to work in the best interests of their clients.

However, just like some cats prefer to be lap cats and get all the employee perks, some licensed Maricopa real estate agents may qualify as full-time employees. The key is in how they get paid. They're generally considered employees if they receive compensation based on hours worked. But if they're paid based on their sales or services, like receiving commissions, they are independent contractors.

Sometimes brokers hire licensed real estate agents as assistants and pay them an hourly wage, which makes them employees. But for the most part, real estate agents are like the cats of the business world – independent, flexible, and always landing on their feet.

As a person selling their home, hiring a part-time realtor will often mean they cannot give you their full attention. That’s why hiring a full-time realtor is best so your home gets the attention it needs to sell as soon as possible.

Q. Which are the most common types of real estate agents?

A. A licensed real estate agent often focuses on a particular side of the buying or selling process. They also have the choice of becoming a broker.

The most common types of Maricopa real estate agents include:

Buyer’s agent – The agent usually works with a home or commercial property buyer. Some may also serve as buyers’ agents and become sellers’ agents when it suits them. But many tend to focus on one or the other. However, when they work as buyer’s agents, they help buyers find the right property, negotiate the price, and navigate the tangled web of home financing, aka mortgages.

Seller’s agent – Professionals working as seller’s agents help the seller optimize the home or commercial property. The goal is to help them get the most money for the property.

 

Dual agent – As it so happens that sometimes a single agent may act both as the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent. However, this is rare because it isn’t allowed across all states.

Real estate broker – A broker will often continue their education and take the broker exam. Passing the exam enables them to work independently, meaning they can establish their brokerage, which a regular real estate agent can’t do. Real estate agents need to associate themselves with a brokerage.

Realtor – Realtors are licensed real estate agents who are National Association of Realtors members. It indicates they are members of the organization.

Q. What skills should a real estate agent have?

A. Real estate agents are expected to have few skills and experience in buying and selling homes. This includes:

·      They should be able to use a client relationship manager, aka CRM.

·      They need to have a friendly personality.

·      Need to be licensed.

·      Should be able to speak to a group of people.

·      Have good written and verbal communication.

·      Be good at project management.

Q. How to choose between two seemingly good realtors?

A. As a homeowner that wants to sell, finding that much-needed tiebreaker can sometimes be challenging, especially if both candidates have experience. So, you will want to consider other factors like communication and soft skills. Professionalism and the ability to dress well are also positive indicators that should be considered. After all, a lot of the sale depends on how the broker or real estate agent looks, aka, nonverbal communication.

Q. What should I do to keep a real estate agent happy?

A. Most people don’t consider keeping the professional happy when choosing a realtor to sell their home. However, most experienced real estate brokers work best when given autonomy. That’s why we provide real estate agents with the technology needed to succeed. Plus, they continue educating themselves to serve our clients in Maricopa, AZ, more efficiently. At DORRMAT, we pride ourselves on having a culture of respect and helping agents maintain a healthy work-life balance. We also listen to suggestions that have helped us raise the bar regarding agent satisfaction over the years.