Getting your head around what real estate agents actually do is very useful when it comes to building a good rapport with them. Cate Bakos, a Melbourne-based licensed real estate agent and buyers’ advocate, gives us a handy breakdown.
Real estate agents can sometimes get bad rap, and although some of the horror stories out there are no doubt true – with plenty of home-buyers having their fingers burnt and their noses well and truly put out of joint – on the whole most agents are excellent with people and work incredibly hard. Sometimes simply having a better understanding of their role and the status of the campaign can make a huge difference.
For one, not all agents take on the same tasks when a property sells, and they don’t all receive the same remuneration.
Agents: the breakdown
Listing agent: signs up the vendor’s authority to sell
Selling agent: manages the purchaser signing the contract
Handling agent: coordinates the open for inspections, marketing sign-off and vendor feedback. In many cases this is the listing agent
Sunday agent: a rostered ‘handling agent’ for Sunday (sometimes the listing agent)
Auctioneer: the person with the gavel on auction day
Depending on the size of the agency, sometimes just one agent can handle all of the above.
You’ve got your head around what agents do, now get up to speed with how to get them on side.
