How The Internet Has Changed How Sellers Find Listing Agents & Buyers Find Houses!
Recently I spoke to a seller who Googled and found me with her search for a Realtor who specializes in Historic properties in Iowa City – I had listed and sold a home on Clark Street when I wrote the post in the link. (That’s something I do to attract potential buyers to a neighborhood).
It got me thinking about how home sellers find their agents these days. A Google search is a perfectly good place to start when you want to find an agent to sell your home in the Iowa City area. It will give you an idea who is in touch with the Internet Buyer. If you are impressed with their website, chances are buyers will be too. If the agent promotes their Website well, there’s an excellent chance they’ll also do a good job of marketing your house!
This fact alone means that when you’re looking for a Realtor to sell your house in the Iowa City area, it makes sense to think about how much things have changed since the Internet became part of our day to day lives. You no longer need to buy into the idea that the big company has all the prospective buyers for your house. They don’t. More than 90% of the time the buyer for your house will see it first on the Internet. The size of the company you hire to market and sell your home in the won’t matter. What will matter is that the agent you hire does a good job of getting your home in front of potential buyers with a marketing plan that works. (For me that means including lots of good photos and videos as the Internet is a very visual place).
Real Estate Agents Are Independent Contractors
Almost all Realtors are independent contractors, regardless of who they work for. Every agent is responsible for taking care of their own listings and how they are marketed. They do it under the umbrella of the real estate company they work for, but are ultimately responsible for how they run their business within that framework. There are good, productive agents at large brokerages and good, productive agents at small brokerages. That’s why it’s important to choose the agent you work with based on their knowledge of the Iowa City real estate market and their marketing skills, NOT who they work for or the perceived value of the brand name on the sign. Sellers care about brands and the name on the sign. Buyers couldn’t care less. (When you think about that you’ll know I’m right, because not too long ago you bought a house and you weren’t looking at who listed it either!)
In days gone by large companies did have more clout. Those were the days when real estate listings stayed with the company and the Buyer had no choice but call the listing agent for information. These days every listing is on multiple sites on the Internet. Buyers do tons of research on homes online long before they ever contact a Realtor. From your perspective as a seller, all the more reason to make sure the agent you work with understands how to market and sell real estate in the Iowa City area in this new age of the Internet.
Of course, the tech savviest Realtor with the best marketing plan in the world won’t get your house sold if it’s not prepared correctly for the market. Getting your home “showing ready” and pricing your home right for the market are two important steps to be thinking about before getting into the marketing strategy. That’s why I talked about choosing an agent based on their knowledge of the Iowa City real estate market AND their marketing skills. A good agent will give you good advice upfront so you are properly prepared before you list your home for sale in the Iowa City area AND provide a top of the line marketing strategy when your home is on the market.
Cardinal Realty is located in Coralville. Combining the power of technology with a personal touch for a better real estate transaction – Communication, Knowledge and Experience – A combo that ensures you get the best service on the way to selling your home in the Iowa City area.
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