Melissa Key

A lot would depend on your age and how soon you may need to access your cash and investments if it will be needed for your retirement. In my opinion (I was a CPA for years before becoming a real estate broker), if you are under 55 you may want to consider making a substantial down payment (20-50%) and financing the rest with a mortgage. If you are over 55 years old it would be advantageous to consult a Certified Financial Professional for their advise.

Updates can be tricky. You are wise to reach out to professional realtors/brokers for advise. So much depends on your immediate market area and the competition within the market. For example, if your property only needs relatively inexpensive cosmetic upgrades it very well may be worth the investment. Do allow Fast Expert to help you find an experienced professional to help you, and do your homework when interviewing different agents. Experience definitely matters and it matters more now more than ever in a market that is changing every day! A seasoned Broker who successfully survived 2008/2009 will be well equipped to advise you in this current enviroment.

Hello Aaron. Agents and Brokers get asked to negotiate their commissions very often. I often answer with this question: Do you negotiate with your physician when you visit them? Do you negotiate with your Dentist, CPA, Financial Planner or any other professional? Likely not. Agents work very hard and often behind the scenes. The bulk of the work for you to sell your home is often done during the negotiation phase and the time between contract and closing. When you are asking for a reduced commission do consider that you may in turn get reduced services on marketing your home. The trade off is rarely worth it. I personally just paid a Realtor I hired to sell some recreational property 8%. His expertise was invaluable and he got more for the sale because of the contacts he knew. I hope this helped.

Experience matters period. Hire an agent/Broker with a proven record that includes time invested in this career. I often see folks hire part-time agents and pay full commission. Do you use other part-time professionals? You would likely never consider going to a physician, dentist, CPA or attorney that was part-time yet they will hire a part-time realtor. It is rare that any Broker or Agent would negotiate their commission after the listing agreement is signed. It is a binding legal contract and should be honored as such. I hope this helps.

Unless you are a licensed Agent or Broker you should not try to do a market analysis. You likely will make many mistakes that could be costly. Call a good Realtor to help you. This is very often a free service as well!