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Listing Agent: The Key to Finding the Right Person

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Home is where the heart is, and if you’re ready to sell your current home, you want to make sure you’re putting your trust in the right hands. Your listing agent will work with you to price and market your home, negotiate with buyers and help with closing the deal.

Here’s how to find an expert that works with you and your needs.

Know Your Timeframe

Have a listing date in mind? Backtrack six to eight weeks before that time, and aim to hire a listing agent around that time.

This will give you both the time to prepare to go live with your listing. For you, that might mean making repairs or upgrades. For your agent, that means working on creating a polished listing, ideas for marketing the house, pricing and more.

Begin Your Search

As you approach that ideal time to hire a listing agent, start researching professionals.

You can search for a Chicago REALTOR® here, or ask friends and family for recommendations. Remember, it doesn’t hurt to shop around. You’ll be working side by side with your agent, so make sure you find someone your trust to do the job.

Conduct Interviews

Take the recommendations and research you’ve done to set up interviews with agents. Here are some suggested questions that will help you determine if an agent is the right fit for you:

  • How long have you been in the real estate business?
  • What’s the price range of the homes you typically sell?
  • What is your fee?
  • How do you market homes?
  • How long are your homes usually on the market?
  • What’s your communication style?

During these interviews, make sure the agents understand your goals and meet the expertise qualifications or personality you’re looking for. If you follow those two desires, you’ll be sure to find a listing agent that works for you!

Roadmap to Selling Your Home

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Your home holds all of your family’s memories, but maybe it doesn’t fit your needs any longer. When you’re ready to take the step and sell your home, make sure to set yourself up for success. We’ve put together a roadmap of milestones to help you plan out the selling process from start to finish.

  1. Do your research. Once you’ve decided to sell your home, start your research. The housing market has likely changed since you last purchased a home, so find out about mortgage rates, inventory and other aspects of the market that will impact the selling process.
  2. Choose a REALTOR®. Your most important relationship you’ll have as you sell your home is with your REALTOR®. Take the time to search for one, and interview them, to decide who you want with you on this journey. Use our database to start your search for a Chicago REALTOR®.
  3. Price your home. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do this alone! Work with your REALTOR® to look at the current market and comparable homes to set the right price to get your house sold.
  4. Prepare for the sale. Set up a time for professional pictures, schedule showings and plan open houses will take place. Make sure your home is picture perfect to make a great impression on potential buyers. Clean up, declutter and make repairs to get your home in tip top shape.
  5. Start marketing. Work with your REALTOR® to put together a top tier online listing with perfect pictures and a strong description. Then, create a plan to share the listing to get as many eyes as possible.
  6. Show your home. Your marketing worked, and now potential buyers want to check the home out! Work with your REALTOR® on a schedule for showing, and make sure to incorporate a plan to keep everyone safe, like disinfecting surfaces and hosting virtual tours, if need be.
  7. Look at your offers. Yes, it’s possible to receive more than one offer! Sit down with your REALTOR®, review each one and determine which is best for you.
  8. Time to negotiate. Enter a counteroffer to the buyer’s offer based off of what you want. Of course, money is a factor, but timing may also be another big negotiation. Your REALTOR® will help craft your counteroffer based off all these factors.
  9. Get the home inspected. Once you have agreed on an offer, the buyer will set up a home inspection. Your home will be examined for any issues, and repairs can be negotiated by the buyer. Work with your REALTOR® to come to an agreement with the buyer.
  10. Close the deal. Now, it’s time to make things official. During the closing, you will sign the final paperwork and collect your check!

home inspection discussion

Your Home Inspection Questions, Answered!

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Congratulations! You’ve made it to your home inspection, which means you’re within reach of closing on your home. Unsure of what to expect? We (and your REALTOR®) here to help.

Why should you have a home inspection done?

Purchasing a home is a big commitment, and a home inspection is your way of knowing you’re making the right fiscal choice. An inspection will spot any current or potential problems within a home, providing safety and peace of mind in the purchasing decision. During the process, your inspector will identify problem areas, suggest solutions and write a report with all of the findings.

Also, many mortgage lenders require an inspection to be performed before financing a home, so it’s best to cover all of your bases by having an inspection completed.

How do I find an inspector?

It is the homebuyer’s responsibility to find an inspector to perform the home inspection. Typically, your REALTOR® will be able to recommend a professional. If you’re interested in looking for one on your own, you can search for a local inspector using the American Society of Home Inspectors’ (ASHI) Find a Home Inspector tool.

When talking with an inspector, here are some things you should look for:

  • They should have a home inspector license.
  • Ideally, hire someone who has at least five years of experience.
  • Make sure they can turn your report around within your required timeframe, as an inspection typically needs to take place within five to seven days of your offer being accepted.

What will, and won’t, an inspection cover?

As a rule of thumb, most inspectors will check a home’s:

  • Exterior, including walls, foundation, grading, roof and garage
  • Interior, including plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, appliances and all rooms

And they will not check:

  • Swimming pools
  • Wells
  • Chimneys
  • Inside pipes or sewer lines
  • Inside walls

What happens on the day of the home inspection?

Both you and your REALTOR® should be in attendance on the day of your inspection. Depending on the size of the home, most inspections take between two and three hours to complete.

Yes, you can ask questions! The inspector will give you firsthand explanations of their findings, point out problem areas and answer any questions that may arise. Everything that is discussed in person will then be written up in their report.

What happens after an inspection?

Once the inspection is complete and you’ve received the report, discuss the findings with your REALTOR®.

Legally, the seller must fix structural issues, building code violations and safety issues. Beyond that, you are able to negotiate with the seller what other issues you would like fixed before purchasing the house. Your REALTOR® will submit a request for repairs that the seller will either agree to or counteroffer.

If the problems that arise from the inspection are too significant or expensive, you always have the right to step away from the purchase if your purchase contract has an inspection contingency. Usually, you have about seven days to make that decision.

While a home inspection may cost money upfront, it will also help you save money, and move forward with a greater peace of mind in the long run.