THE ROLE OF A LISTING AGENT
THE "FOR SALE" SIGN
FLYERS AND BROCHURE BOXES
THE MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE (MLS)

The Role of a Listing Agent

You likely used a real estate agent when you bought your home and you may have found that agent through a referral from a friend or family member, or through some sort of advertising or marketing. The agent helped you and you found a house, made an offer, closed the deal, and moved in. Now it is time to sell your home and you need an agent again. As a result you may contact your previous agent and expect the same thing from them as your listing agent - find someone to buy their home. A sign goes up in the front yard, your house is placed in the MLS and marketed on the internet. This is only part of it other important activity occurs behind the scenes. After the "for sale" sign goes up and flyers are printed, your agent’s main job is to market your home to other agents, not only to home buyers.

The "For Sale" Sign

It seems obvious that your agent will put a sign in your yard when you list your home. Signs are great for generating phone calls, the sign should identify the agent’s company, the agent, and have a phone number so prospective buyers can call and get information on your home.

Flyers and a Brochure Box

Your agent should create a flyer that has at least one photo and gives basic details about your house. Your agents contact information should be on it as well so buyers can contact the to get more information. They should be placed in a flyer box on the sign and some place on the counter in your home. The box is convenient for buyers that drive by and see the sign in front of your house. It should give enough information so they can decided if they want to call their agent to get more details or set up a showing.

The Multiple Listing Service (MLS)

The first thing your agent will do is list your property with the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service). It is a database of all the homes listed by local real estate agents. Information about your property is listed here, from basic to detailed. There should also be several photos, and a short description of your home. Agents search the MLS for homes that fit the criteria of their clients. They pay close attention to homes that have are newly placed on the market, this is one reason you get a lot of activity when your house is first listed. Some agents may want to preview the home before they show it to their clients.

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