Consumer Guide for Choosing a Real Estate Agent

What a great concept. I have been instrumental in putting together a Consumer Guide for how to choose a real estate agent.

I’ve had enough of our reputation having us less trusted than a hooker (Readers Digest most trusted professions list 2009) and the time has come to give consumers a real choice and the correct criteria to consider when choosing an agent.

If you’re an agent, best have a look at the standards that any consumers using the www.AgentChoice.org service will expect of you, and if you’re falling short in any of these areas, best rectify them.

If people as for the opinion of Agent Choice  I will be giving them honest answers and referring them to those of you who i KNOW will be doing a superior job for them.

Have a look and I’d welcome your feedback in the comments section.

Choosing an Agent - click this link

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An Alternative Look at Real Estate – Bernie Kroczek

‘Real Estate in Perth Getting the Shake Up’

I read an article recently on a newsletter about a successful agent from Perth doing many things in a ‘contrary’ manner to normal real estate agents.

Now I’m all for bucking the system, especially when the majority of real estate agents are either brand new or struggling. So when someone successful is doing things differently, we all should sit up and take notice, especially if you are selling in Mt Hawthorn WA or the surrounding areas.

I did have some comments on Bernie’s points of difference, and I’m not saying I’m right and he’s wrong, it’s just that there’s more than one way to be right. Just like Coles and Tiffany both have successful business, they differ in many ways. So let’s explore….

Guarantees

Mr Kroczek’s real estate company offers an unconditional guarantee - ‘If we don’t get the price quoted by the agent then the vendor pays nothing.’

I’m right on board with this. If your guarantee isn’t bold and even a little scary, it’s not very powerful. In this case, the guarantee forces Bernie and his team to make sure they deliver the outcome for their seller.

No fee for advertising

Mr Kroczek’s company doesn’t charge anything for advertising. Like I said, there’s a lot of ways to be right but I must disagree with this blanket approach.

While Mr Krozcek believes that newspaper advertising is a dinosaur and the internet is leading the way (and he is right), but to ignore all other media has potential problems. What about large signs in front of the property? What about upgraded internet listings? All of these things cost an agency significant amount of money and rarely can an agency afford to foot the bill for thousands of dollars in advertising on behalf of a seller, and retain their role as an impartial negotiator looking out for the best interests of the seller. And if Mr Kroczek’s team can do so, they’ve done very well setting up their model.

Opposed to auctions

According to Mr Kroczek, the auction system is flawed. In that the successful bidder only needs to pay $1 more than the second highest bidder.

In this, I agree 100%. I also found that buyer’s who are willing and able to bid under the stringent auction conditions are approximately half of those that can and will buy under ‘private treaty’ or a ‘normal’ method of sale.

Again, while I may not agree with everything Mr Kroczek does, I applaud his success, and from what I’ve heard, his company, Total Care Real Estate, do exactly that. They CARE !!

Congratualtions Bernie. To contact Bernie Kroczek or the team, visit

www.BernieKroczek.com.au

Glenn Twiddle
Real Estate Training

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Kevin Manning Real Estate – a Case Study

‘Selling in Mansfield? Best Add This Guy to Your Shopping List…’

I’ve recently come across a great agent called Kevin Manning from Kevin Manning Real Estate and he mainly works in the Mansfield and surrounding areas.

I’ve seen Kevin at Open Homes and even run into him at the odd marketing training seminar. That led me to investigate further and it seems this guy, even though he’s been in Real Estate for 30+ years, still invests a significant amount of time and effort into improving his skills in getting people the highest price for their home, when selling in Mansfield.

I have to say, that when a veteran of the game is still leading the pack when it comes to investing in his business in the form of training, well it gets my attention.

I asked Kevin in an interview, if he’d mind sharing what sort of investment he makes in his skill set. He answered,

‘Well Glenn, let’s just say I go to everything I think is worth it, but at least once a quarter this year, I have flown to various cities around the country for a week long training session in sales, marketing and negotiating. If you don’t, you just can’t honestly say to your clients you’ve done the absolute best job for them.

Kevin goes on to say, ‘The difference in price between me ‘on my game’ and someone who say, doesn’t regularly sharpen their skills, might be $30,000 difference to the Seller in my area, and that’s not acceptable.’

I must say, a refreshing change down in Mansfield, even though he’s a mainstay of the area. You’d be doing yourself a favour to at least put him on the shopping list if you were considering Selling in Mansfield.

Kevin also has created a Community Hub for people who own, buy or sell Real Estate Mt Gravatt called www.RealEstateMtGravatt.com.au.

There you can check out property prices, and even hear from Kevin’s past clients, straight from the horses mouth.

He can be found at www.KevinManning.com.au

Article by Glenn Twiddle
Real Estate Training

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