Seller Suggestions

The real estate business is noted for being among the easiest to enter but the most difficult to succeed in. Because there are so many inexperienced people in the business, it is important you have some basic ideas about how to select the right Realtor to represent you best. Here are some don'ts.

Don't use a Monroe County broker to help you buy or sell a Wayne or Ontario country home. There are many unique challenges in selling rural property, like testing wells, certifying septic systems and evaluating land surveys for easements and encroachments with which "city brokers" may not be familiar. Since brokers tend to become experienced in the market in which they list and sell the most properties, Monroe County brokers don't know market values here and shouldn't sell here -- just as Wayne and Ontario County Realtors should not sell Monroe County properties.

Don't use a family friend or relative. It is unfair and unwise to drape business dealings over a personal relationship because both will probably suffer. Instead, ask the friend or relative to refer you to a good agent; they'll receive a referral fee and you'll stay friends.

Don't use a discount broker. As in any transaction, you get what you pay for. An agent who asks you to focus on the commission he/she will charge instead of the outcome they will produce for you probably doesn't have a sterling record of success for you to view.

And last, Don't list your home with a Realtor who says he/she can get you more money than anyone else. The best way to set your price is with a well-researched market analysis. Realtors who promise to get you more are using the oldest scam in the business and they'll tell you what you want to hear just to get your business, then they'll ask you to reduce your price later.