Hiring a real estate agent in MA to sell your home means you give up a certain percentage of the final selling price as commission. This is typically 4 to 6%. To avoid spending and to keep 100% of the purchase, some home sellers skip working with realtors.
If you have a property for sale in Massachusetts, we advise that you work with a real estate agent. Doing so comes with many benefits.
Why You Should Be Using a Real Estate Agent To Sell Your Home
Reach out to top real estate agents in Massachusetts and hire one. When you do, these are the benefits:
1. Agents Possess Valuable Local Market Knowledge
The real estate market in Massachusetts isn’t the same as that of California or New York or Texas. Generally, it differs from other US states. Therefore, to get a good deal for your home, you must first understand what a good deal in MA is. That would require an in-depth knowledge of the state’s local market.
Ask yourself the below questions:
- Is the Massachusetts real estate market a buyer’s or seller’s market?
- Is your home type highly sought after by MA residents?
- Where can you find your target buyers in the state?
- What’s the median cost of your home type in MA?
- What’s the difference between the listing and the selling prices of homes in the state?
The questions can go on and on. Typically, you’ll need to sit down, launch a computer, and browse to get the details. However, you still won’t cover it all. Meanwhile, an expert real estate agent will know the info by heart.
Realtors in Massachusetts handle property transactions now and then. So, they’re well-versed in the current trends of the real estate industry. With the information, they can pull all available resources to ensure the best value for your property.
Accordingly, the agent can advise the best time to sell your property, how to market it to reach your target home buyers, and suggest an ideal listing price to kick off with. These will multiply the odds of you closing a deal faster and for a reasonable rate.
2. You Get Access to More Real Estate Professionals
The advice is to hire a real estate agent to sell your home. However, ultimately, an agent isn’t the only realtor you’ll engage. You may need the services of other professionals in the industry.
For instance, at the genesis, as you start publicizing your home, a listing agent may be requisite. Suppose an issue with the building needs fixing; then, a home inspector comes in. What if you hit a hitch with your buyer? Nobody wants that, but if it happens and is grave, the go-to is a real estate attorney.
Imagine running around to find any of these real estate professionals when imperative. Stress is the word to define what you’ll pass through. Meanwhile, if you’re aligned with a real estate agent, it’ll only take a shuffling of contacts and one or two calls. This is true as top agents have connections with renowned Massachusetts realty companies.
The benefit doesn’t end with you getting quick access to other real estate professionals in the housing market. You can also be rest assured that the experts you’re contracting are reputable and trustworthy. Subsequently, you’ll build relationships and experience for yourself, which may be helpful for any future sale.
3. Agents Can Attract More Potential Buyers
You need as much exposure as obtainable to get the best price for your home. Simply put, the more people see your listing, the more offers you’ll receive. One way to achieve that is by leveraging listing services. While you may not have access to these services, real estate agents in MA undoubtedly do.
In particular, agents can help place your property on multiple listing services. This is particular to realtors that work with a broker. Such real estate agents get access to advanced software and platforms from the broker company.
By publishing your home on multiple listing services, other agents become aware of your available sale. Your agent will typically put out all enticing details to attract clients, including quality photos and videos.
Notably, any buyer’s agent with clients interested in purchasing properties in your location can easily find you. Subsequently, they’ll reach out for negotiations. It works both ways, too.
As potential buyer agents can contact you, the real estate agent you hire can also reach out to them. That way, you don’t sit and wait for buyers to come. Your agent can target clients with a good purchase history that meets your interest.
4. You’ll Sell Your Home for a Better Price
Hiring Massachusetts real estate agents to sell your property opens the doors for suitable price proposals. The home-selling process is ultimately decided by the amount the buyer pays. For this reason, negotiation is a critical part of any real estate transaction.
Real estate agents in Massachusetts are highly trained in the skill of negotiation. They have the market knowledge to recognize pricing trends and good communication skills. Therefore, they know what to say and how to say it to convince clients to pay a property’s worth.
If you don’t work with a real estate agent, you could sell your home for less than its true value. Mainly, this is most likely when you contact buyers who hire an agent. The buyer’s agent has negotiation and communication skills. Unless you have similar real estate experience, it’ll be easy for the agent to convince you to agree with their proposal.
Furthermore, you could waste time negotiating and entertaining offers from unserious buyers. The word “unserious” doesn’t appear on the forehead, so how would you know? However, thanks to their knowledge of the real estate industry, agents can quickly screen and review potential buyers. They’ll help determine who can and can’t pay for your property.
5. Agents Help Sail Through Legal Hurdles
The home buying process typically involves many legal matters. As a result, one primary duty of real estate agents is to ensure that the change of ownership is clear of complications. On your own, you may be unable to point out what’s pertinent in the eyes of the law.
You’ll have to prepare and exchange several agreements, home ownership, and closing documents with the buyer. Drafting these documents to meet Massachusetts standards can be difficult if you don’t possess the know-how. Besides, each Massachusetts city has its own requirements.
If your documents aren’t up to legal standards, you may see yourself in court. To avoid that, work with the best realtors in Massachusetts. Real estate agents prepare agreements and closing documents all the time. As such, it’ll be regular work for them.
Furthermore, the law demands that you disclose any defects or other drawbacks of your property. In particular, you must state if there’s any factor that can reduce the house’s value. A real estate agent in MA is in the best place to point out what matters. Consequently, you can fix the issues before closing the sale to avoid legal troubles.
Cost of Hiring Massachusetts Real Estate Agents
Now you know the key benefits of working with Massachusetts real estate agents when selling your home. Before you contact one, you should know how much you’ll typically spend. This information will ensure your payment aligns with the norm in the state’s real estate industry.
According to data from Indeed, Massachusetts real estate agents receive an average of around $85,000 per year. The breakdown is as follows:
- $36.65 per hour
- $379 per day
- $1,563 per week
- $6,047 per month
- $85,411 per year
It’s worth noting that the cost of real estate agents in MA is 11% lower than the national average. In other words, you’ll spend less when you hire a residential real estate agent in Massachusetts than in most other places in the US. Nevertheless, there’s a substantial gap between how much top realtors charge, depending on their experience.
If you hire an MA real estate agent with one to two years of experience in the property market, the average cost is $77,003 per year. Meanwhile, those with up to 10 years of experience charge above $100,000 annually. Naturally, realtors with more years in the real estate industry make the best agents. Nevertheless, simply hire an agent you can afford.
Picking the Right Massachusetts Realtor
As explained, hiring a great real estate agent with years of experience in MA is expensive. However, if you have a substantial budget, you can still contract a good agent to sell your home. First things first, you must have options.
You can only pick the right agent to help with your sale by comparing different professionals. For that, you can check out realtors registered with top real estate companies in Massachusetts. Similarly, you can also get in touch with Massachusetts real estate brokers.
What are these companies and brokers to find agents? Some include:
- Ardor Homes Massachusetts
- Lamacchia realty
- Keller Williams
- Coldwell Banker
- Berkshire Hathaway
- William Raveis Real Estate
- Sotheby’s International Realty
When you access the list of available agents, rate them according to past reviews and business history. Typically, narrow your focus on MA realtors with credible work relations. Ultimately, ensure you have at least three real estate agents to contact.
Meet or communicate with the agents to discuss your selling strategy. Share basic information about your property and how much you believe it’s worth. Then, the MA real estate agent will input their expert knowledge on how best to land a deal. If their response resonates with you, discuss commissions and other related fees. Should the costs still be agreeable, you can hire the agent.
Bottom Line
Although you pay a commission, working with a real estate agent in MA to sell your home gives you a distinct advantage. These agents have market mastery and can offer golden guidance to get the perfect price for your home. They also save you stress and time and ensure you avoid legal conflicts.
As we advised, you should work with agents registered with renowned MA real estate companies. For that, you can leverage the services of our expert realtors at Ardor Homes Massachusetts. We house agents affiliated with top real estate brokers in Massachusetts. Get in touch with us, and it’ll be our pleasure to help you sell your home fast and for the best rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Real Estate Agents in Massachusetts Are There?
There are over 25 thousand real estate agents in Massachusetts. This is a relatively large number compared to other states in the US. Notably, Boston real estate agents make up most of the number, as they’re over 8,000.
How Much Tax Do You Pay When You Sell a House in Massachusetts?
When you sell a house in Massachusetts, you pay a capital gain tax of around 5.2 to 12%. However, information suggests the tax is priced at $2.28 for every $500 in the real estate deal. There are exemptions in some cases. For instance, you won’t pay tax if your home sells for under $250,000.
Do I Need a Lawyer To Sell My House in Massachusetts?
No, you don’t need a lawyer to sell a house in Massachusetts. A lawyer is only necessary if you have legal disputes, which you can avoid by working with an agent. You can hire the best agents from top real estate companies in Massachusetts.
Can You Sell a House in Massachusetts Without a Realtor?
Yes, you can sell a house in MA without a realtor, but it’s not advisable. Real estate agents have experience and expertise that’ll make selling your home easier. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to hire one.
In her 25-year career, Steph Wilkinson has been involved in the acquisition, marketing and sales of over $3 Billion dollars of residential real estate. A number of years ago, Steph transitioned into Brokerage Leadership for National real estate brands and tech start-ups. She has served as a Business Strategist for real estate agents and brokerages alike and is also a real estate coach and trainer. In her new role with the Iconic Team, Steph will be responsible for the growth of the team and will be working with all of our agents to increase their productivity and bottom line.
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