A friend planning to sell his house in Seattle asked for my opinion. However, he didn't want a direct recommendation for a local real estate agent; instead, he asked, "If you were to sell your own house, how would you choose a real estate agent?"

I pondered and identified three key points—

"Sufficient Time," "Aligned Interests," and "Unique Aspects."

I found these criteria applicable not just in Seattle but also in the Bay Area/Silicon Valley. So, if you're planning to sell your property, this post should help.

▍ How Much Time Can They Invest in This Case?

Selling a house involves numerous tasks: preparing and explaining various documents, setting up signings, and double-checking document completeness, all of which require utmost caution. An overlooked detail can have serious consequences.

For house preparation, if the owner wants to renovate, it involves deciding whether the renovation style aligns with market trends, communicating with the contractor, and comparing prices of various materials.

In marketing, formulating strategies, writing and printing copy, deciding where to publish various advertisements, and negotiating after receiving an offer are all crucial tasks.

Additionally, the agent must contact vendors such as stagers, photographers, and cleaners and organize the schedule seamlessly to save the seller's time. If the homeowner still lives in the house, coordinating potential buyer visits is another task. Moreover, the agent must be prepared to deal with all sorts of unexpected situations, like a buyer's agent accidentally losing the keys, a cleaner not showing up, etc.

These tasks are just an overview. Therefore, an agent not investing enough time in selling a house will produce poor results. So, we usually do not consider part-time agents rather than full-time. Another situation to avoid is an agent with too many cases, making it impossible to focus on your case and potentially damaging your interests.

▍ Are Their Interests Aligned with Yours?

This section assesses whether an agent prioritizes the client's interests over their own during a transaction. Surprisingly, an agent can choose to align their interests with the client's, but the critical factor is whether they disclose this.

Consider the "Double-Ending" scenario. Double-Ending occurs when an agent represents both the seller and the buyer in the same transaction. This practice is illegal in many US states but legal in California.

For an agent, Double-Ending is lucrative because it allows them to earn double the commission. Some agents even offer discounts to homeowners during contract signing to persuade them to enable Double-Ending.

However, Double-Ending undermines the homeowner's interests. For example, if you tell your agent, "I'll be satisfied if the house sells for 2 million," the agent can inform the buyer of your price, revealing your lowest acceptable price. Yet, the agent hasn't broken any rules since you agreed to Double-Ending, in which case they can only act as a middleman, not a negotiator, for you.

Some people might find this acceptable. However, a significant issue is that many agents intentionally avoid mentioning this during contract signing or, when questioned, falsely claim that other agents do the same. Essentially, this agent plans to engage in Double-Ending without your knowledge, which you should know.

▍ Are There Any Unique Aspects in Preparing the “Product” or in Marketing?

The two critical aspects of selling a house are preparing it (the product) and informing people that it's for sale (marketing).

Typical preparation involves decorating, staging, professional photography, advertising on MLS, distributing flyers, and putting up a yard sign.

However, every agent undertakes these tasks, so it's crucial to determine what distinguishes them. Can they secure a more affordable contractor to minimize renovation expenses? Do they have the expertise to identify areas that don't necessitate renovation yet yield the same impact? What strategies do they employ to captivate potential buyers? How impactful are their advertising efforts?

(Please be careful if an agent claims their unique marketing approach involves advertising in newspapers, magazines, or on TV.)

▍ Conclusion

Choosing the right real estate agent is crucial for a successful property sale. I'd like to point out that finding an agent who invests enough time, aligns their interests with yours, and offers unique services is essential. Please ask these critical questions before selecting an agent to ensure you choose one that fits your needs and helps you achieve the best outcome.

Good luck!

You might wonder who wrote this post. My name is Chiuho Lin. I’ve helped over 100 clients buy/sell their properties. Before we talk, feel free to check my client’s reviews on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3OPzBmT). I can provide their contact details with their permission so you can directly ask about their experience working with me.

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What’s this Blog for?

Before I started my career as a real estate agent, I found it quite difficult to find informative articles or websites that provided accurate information catered towards selling and buying houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. Yes, there are some out there, but those are not catered specifically towards the Bay Area. Sometimes, even tips and facts regarded as common knowledge aren’t applicable and outdated from a Bay Area perspective. My original intention of starting this blog, was to help shed some light on the seemingly inscrutable real estate market. As a real estate agent who has been practicing for several years, I wanted to provide accurate and relevant information to those who might be interested in buying or selling a home.

If you’re curious and want to learn more about buying and selling in the San Francisco Bay Area, then this website might be a good starting point to gain some insight.

Who Am I?

My name is Chiuho Lin. I first found my calling for real estate in 2016, while I was looking for a new home in the San Francisco Bay Area. I found myself inexplicably drawn to this profession and after meeting over one hundred real estate professionals, I made the decision to become a real estate agent myself. To me, being a real estate agent is rewarding not only because I love meeting new people, but also because I have the privilege of helping them start their new chapter and make their vision a reality.

What Is My Promise?

If you are interested in selling, then the process would start from an initial consultation, to price assessments, market analysis, repair advice, time-to-market recommendations, staging assessment, style selection, housing listings, posters, social media promotion, marketing media selection, follow-up on house delivery. I will be active and present in the entire process to make sure everything goes smoothly.

If you are interested in buying a house, again as an agent I can promise you that I will be present in all stages of the buying process. This includes everything from consultations to address all your concerns, investigating real estate to find a home that suits all your needs, visiting the houses, providing insights on the neighborhood, assessing the current conditions of the homes that may require additional attention, read various reports filled with technical jargon, to helping you understand contracts. I ensure quality care and commitment in the entire process from start to finish.

As a professional, I take pride in my work ethic and ensure the utmost care and consideration while working with all my clients. I’d like to consider myself a trusted advisor to ensure a phenomenal experience throughout your buying/selling process. With that being said, if you ever need a professional consultation or assistance with anything - for example, gardening/landscaping, property manager property lawyer, paint master, decorator, roof repair master, loan broker, registration accountant - feel free to reach out. I am genuinely passionate about what I do and hope that I can help share my knowledge with you all.

Chiuho Lin DRE#02007082
Keller Williams Thrive DRE# 02177478