Are you in the process of selling your home or condo in St Petersburg? Most people are lost when they are faced with what's coming in the process of selling. We as Realtors are dealing with this on a daily basis and decided it might be a helpful tool for all sellers and buyers to write about the transaction process from start to finish. When you have made the decision to sell, you first need to find out how to sell your property. Do you want to hire a Realtor, do you want to sell yourself or do you want to hire a discount broker? All of those options are valid and each have there pros and cons.

Some people decide to sell themselves, which is understandable considering saving all that money that they would have to spend in commission. There are a lot of things you need to be aware of such as how do I market the property right? Will I be available and "Johnny on the spot" for showings, can people reach me via phone all day long? Potential buyers are only calling once! In this kind of Market if they don't get an immediate response, they are moving on to the next property. How do I pre-qualify potential buyers? Once we have an offer, do you fully understand the purchasing contract? What do you do when the buyer is in default? What does that mean? What if the inspections reveal damages, how do you negotiate the part you are liable for? We could go on and on and on. Statistics proof that 80% of all For Sale By Owner realize within a few weeks, that is does take more than a sign in the yard and hire a Professional Realtor. It is always good to do your research in advance to prepare yourself.

Selling with a discount brokerage is another way a lot of sellers are taking. And depending on the market and your personal situation, that might be the right choice for you. Again, do your home work in advance, ask questions such as: Will the property be in the MLS? If so, how much compensation do you need to offer to the Realtor who is bringing the buyer? What is the Broker charging? Where will the property be advertised? Who will take the calls? Who is pre-qualifying the buyer? Who is answering questions regarding offers and counter offer, contingencies in the offer? Will I have an Agent on my site at all times if I need answers? Who is doing the closing? Again, we could go on and on and on.

Of course we are recommending to go with a Professional Realtor. You have do your research in advance. And here is why we are saying that this is the most successful way to go. We are doing this for a living on a daily basis. We have years of experience and believe it or not, we have to take a state exam, in order to get a license and do continuing education. It is a profession just like any other profession. When you have problems with your roof, you automatically call somebody who knows what they are doing. So why not hire a professional to sell your home? The only reason why a lot of sellers don't do that, is the commission, which is understandable. Yes, we are charging a percentage for our services, but in the end it will be money well spent. Having a reliable professional on your site will make the entire transaction actually enjoyable, stress free and gives you the piece of mind you need in order to move on.

That leaves the question how you find the right Realtor for your? Not all Realtors are the same, just like every Roofer is not the same. So, how find the right one? Again, do your home work in advance, ask questions! How well does he/she know the area? How many properties have they sold there? Where will your home be advertised? Can they be reached at all times? Who will show the house? What if you don't want a lockbox? Are they serving as a single agent or a transaction broker? The best advice we can give you here is, Google their Names - if you can't find them online, how will potential buyers find your property? Check what their web presence is. The reason for that is, 90% of all buyers will search the internet first, before actually contacting a Realtor. Also, call a couple of Realtors, see if the answer right away, if not, how long does it take them to call you back? That will give you a good idea of what the buyers will experience.

Now you have decided to hire a professional Real Estate Agent - so what are the next steps? The first is always the negotiation of the commission, not always is the cheapest one the best. Remember "You get what you pay for" - just like your Roofer. You have to consider the time and money your agent will have to spend to sell your property. When you do sign the listing agreement, get a list of advertisement the Realtor will do for you. Check before, if those sites include his or her listings. Also get a list of things to do, so you will know step by step where you stand in the process. Also a list of "things to do" for yourself. Take the advice of the Realtor, who is looking at your property with the eyes of a buyer. Some of those things to do might include to stage your home, remove clutter and too many personal items. Start working on the outside and the entrance way. First impressions are vital! When showing your home, light some candles, put on some soft music. All those little details really do work!

Copyright (c) 2008 Anna Hensel