Why The Cheapest Agent Costs You More
Sellers often misunderstand real estate commissions. People believe agents do the same job. They pick the lowest fee. They believe they are smart. If one charges less and the other is higher, they choose the discounter. The math says a few thousand. This is wrong. The low fee agent loses you money eventually. The reason? Because they sell your home for less. The difference in your sale price is often far bigger than the saving in fees.
Think about it. If an agent cannot negotiate their own full fee, will they fight for your house price? They can't. They give in immediately. When the heat is on, they advise: "You should sell." They want volume. They don't care about your extra $10k. A good agent fights for every dollar. Because we value our skill.
I see sellers in gawler real estate miss out on huge sums for a small discount. It is tragic. You sell your home once. You need the maximum price. You pay for performance. By achieving a higher price, and the fee is slightly higher, you win. That is what matters. Count the cash in hand, not what you pay.
The Difference Between Cost And Value
Know the gap between price and result. McDonalds and fine dining differ greatly. Real estate agents gawler follow the same rule. Some are order takers. They list online and wait. That is easy. That is not service.
A skilled agent markets proactively. We call buyers. We advise on presentation. We write compelling ads. Key point: we negotiate. When the offer is "$600,000 is my limit", the cheap agent believes them. The pro knows they have more. The gap is pure profit. That is skill.
Discounters churn and burn. They need to sell 10 houses to pay bills. They don't have time to maximize your price. You are a transaction. I limit my listings. To give attention on your result. I charge correctly to do the job properly. Avoid the churner.
The Skill Set That Matters Most
It's not fighting. It is a science. It is knowing when to speak and when to shut up. It is reading body language. It is creating FOMO. An expert gets more money without them knowing. We use scripts to get the max.
It is learned to get right. It is gold. You engage us to do this. Not for the photo. You pay us to talk cash. If they are scared, you lose. They ask for reductions instead of lifting the buyer. Easier to lower price than to push a buyer. Bad agents lower price. Great agents lift buyers.
Ask the agent: "Give me an example a deal you did." Watch them. If the answer is "It sold quick," run away. You want to hear "I created a bidding war." Hire that one. I love the deal. I guarantee it.
Marketing Budgets: Who Pays For What?
Cheap agents often offer "free marketing." Attractive? Wrong. There is no free lunch. If marketing is "free", they cut corners. Bottom tier. Bad pictures. You get no signboard. Because they are paying. They want to spend less.
For the best result, you need exposure. Premiere listing on RealEstate.com.au. Video. 3D tours. Social media ads. It isn't cheap. It reaches more people. More buyers = more competition. Demand equals value. Cutting ad spend and miss one buyer, it costs you value. That is bad math.
My strategy is vendor paid marketing. No corners cut. We do it properly to sell well. Your investment. Light it up. Don't hide it in the dark for a small saving. It creates the result.
The False Promise Of A High Price
Another trick of desperation is over-quoting. They promise your home is worth $700k when market value is less. Why? to get you to sign. You sign with them out of greed. Then, it sits there. They blame buyers. They crunch you down to the real value. It sells low after months of stress.
You picked the cheat. The one who told the truth who was real lost the job. Don't reward lies. If it sounds too good way more than others, check the data. Prove it. No data, they are buying the listing. I tell the truth. Evidence based. I might be conservative, but I deliver. I often exceed it with hard work, not false hope.
Protect yourself. Real estate is full of sharks. Look for integrity. Select the person reality, not fairytales. That is the partner who will actually sell your home for the max.
How To Spot A great Agent
Before you sign, ask these questions:
1. How do you negotiate?.
2. Show me recent sales.
3. What helpful guide information if we get two bids?.
4. Justify your commission.
5. What is the plan?.
What they say shows their skill. If they waffle, walk away. If they are sharp, they are the one. If they cut commission without a fight, do not sign. If they can't defend their income, they will lose your equity.
Ask me. Test me. I am prepared. I am confident. Choose Brad Smith. Not because I am cheap, but because I am the best. Excellence costs nothing ultimately.