Real estate brokers usually get a commission, and it is common for this commission to become a negotiation process. A much dreaded negotiation process at that. The simplest way to begin this process is by simply asking.
Of course, before meeting with the broker, ensure you find out how much your home is worth from another party. To do this, you can either get a professional appraiser or look at other homes in the area.
Always remember that the longer a house takes to sell, the more a broker will charge you. For this reason, you will want to research how long a house stays on the market.
In addition, you should examine the pros of your house and what points will really make it sell. An excellent example of this includes the overall condition of the house or the location. If you have additional properties, you can see if you can get a volume discount.
Perhaps you already have a buyer in mind. If this is the case, it will take a significantly less amount of time to sell the house. This means you will not need to pay the broker a huge amount of commission.
If you ever find yourself in the position to sell another property, ensure you get the same broker. By using the same one, you are giving him or her two commissions, and you will find much more flexibility when it comes to negotiating.
Before dealing with an agent, you should always determine whether or not their rates are negotiable by checking with the broker in-charge. Furthermore, you should pick three different companies that can provide you with the best rates.
Finally, never do the negotiations within your home. You may get distracted by kids or different responsibilities. The agent also feels like a guest, and you may be surprised as just how hard it can be to get aggressive. In order to ensure negotiating success, do this process outside of your home and remain strong.