Listing Agents 101: Common FAQs

Posted on: 5 May 2020

Preparing to sell your home can be an intimidating thing. You have a lot to get done and a lot of research to do in order to determine what steps you need to make. The majority of sellers will turn to a real estate company for help with the listing and selling their house. However, there is one specific type of professional affiliated with the industry that can help you more than anyone: the listing agent. Here is a look at some of the questions homeowners tend to have about listing agents and their role in real estate transactions. 

How do listing agents differ from selling agents in real estate?

Listing agents specifically work with sellers to help them get their homes listed and sold. A selling agent most often spends more time with prospective homebuyers than they will sellers. For the most part, a listing agent is going to spend the majority of their time with the homeowner who plans to sell their house. While these professionals may interact with buyers to some degree, they are primarily interested in the seller's needs. A buying agent, on the other hand, is going to be working to serve the buyers who come to them looking for a home.

Why is it important to hire a listing agent?

While all real estate agents have the potential to help you get your home listed and sold, a listing agent actually specializes in your needs as a seller. They take on your home as their primary project, help you get it prepared for listing, and then create listings in a professional way that is designed to attract buyers. You have a professional on your team that is going to be your go-to person when you need to know what investments are worth making to make your home look more attractive. You have someone working behind the scenes to draft listings that highlight every positive attribute of your home. 

How are listing agents paid for their services?

Listing agents generally take a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the home, just like seller's agents. Therefore, you will not be faced with paying the professional for their services at a time when you may not have room in your budget for extra expenses. Since these professionals usually don't make any money unless the house sells, they have their own financial interests in making certain your home gets sold as quickly as possible. 

Share