Thinking of selling? Learn how to spot a dud agent by asking these four questions…

 If you answer yes to any of them, it might be worth looking elsewhere!

1. Do they tell you a price that seems too good to be true?

The number one thing to look out for is the agent who tells you what you want to hear, instead of what you need to hear.

And by that I mean, if they tell you a number that’s so sky high compared to other agents you’re talking to – you need to ask them why.

Now, there is a caveat on this…

I’ve sold homes for $100,000 - $300,000 more than what the other agents have said, but I’ve done it with sound sales evidence.

If your agent isn’t turning up with current comparable sales and market information, about your house and your area. Then this is a clue they’re not the right agent.

And not just a generic one that covers everything…

If you’ve got a 4x2 on a half acre block, then that’s the sales evidence you need to be looking at.

NOT a 4x2 on a five acre block that got $300,000 or $400,000 more than the market average. 

2. Do they spruik about their “service”?

The next thing a lot of agents will tell you is how great their service is.

Service is a given in any business these days – and if you’re not service orientated you should not be in business.

What you are after, (and what we provide) is an outcome.

I’ve never met a seller yet who didn’t want their house SOLD.

Ask them about their sales strategy instead, and see what they say.

Which brings me to the next red flag…

3. Do their sales statistics and client testimonials tell a different story?

When agents do start telling you how good they are, there are some useful sites you can look at to fact check them.

 To view their sales statistics, Agent Finder on REIWA (Real Estate Institute of Western Australia) has all the sales for every agent in the state (plus the suburbs), for the last 12 months.

You can also look on realestate.com.au, but be mindful that it isn’t quite as accurate as REIWA.

There’s also a site called RateMyAgent which is one of the best agent rating sites around. You can view their past clients feedback – good and bad.

A lot of agents are great at the talk in this game, but very few walk the walk.

On average an agent will sell between 5-9 homes per year, which isn’t very many, so it’s always important to check what they say matches up with the facts.

4. Did you find them on an “agent matching” website?

Lastly, also be mindful there are now websites that tell you they will find you the best agent in the area. The thing is, the top 20%-30% of agents (anywhere in Australia) aren’t on any of those sites – because they don’t need to be.

If you go to any of my areas (take Bedfordale for example) on these sites, you won’t see my name come up. Yet, I’m the number #1 agent in that area – I’ve sold the most homes and I have the highest average sales price.

Because I’m not paying the website a 20% referral fee.

So in reality you’re not getting the best agent, you’re getting the agent that spends the most on that website.

Which is not a great indicator of experience, skill, or sales. If you want the best agent in your area, RateMyAgent and REIWA (which is the peak industry body for WA) will provide you with the official information for free.

If you’d like to know how much your home is worth, book in for an obligation-free appraisal with me here. Or get in touch with me on 0439 998 867. I’d love to lend you my 12+ years of experience and knowledge in the real estate industry.