What Does a Real Estate Agent Do for a Seller?

If you’re a home seller, chances are you’ve also been a home buyer. So, you may remember working with a realtor on the buying end of a real estate transaction. 

And while there’s some overlap between the experiences of working with an agent as a buyer and as a seller, the role of a realtor in each situation differs, too. A seller’s agent hustles for their clients in a unique way, pricing a property to sell, helping get it into tip-top shape, and standing firm during negotiations with buyers. 

As you look for the right agent for you, ensure that the services this professional provides are as comprehensive as possible. Here’s everything you need to know about what a real estate agent ideally does for a seller. 

But first: what’s a seller’s agent?

A seller’s real estate agent (also known as a listing agent, a seller’s realtor, or a seller’s real estate broker) helps a homeowner who wishes to put their property on the market prepare the space for sale and find and close with the right buyer. 

This type of realtor works with the seller’s needs in mind, not the buyer’s. They’re an advocate and a voice for the seller, and they’re interested in helping this party have a painless, high-value home sale.

What a seller’s agent does 

A seller’s agent performs many tasks on the “main stage” and behind the scenes to correctly, efficiently, and lucratively move a property. These realtors are advisors, paperwork experts, skilled negotiators, and savvy marketers. The following are common tasks listing agents perform, and if you’re a seller seeking a realtor, you should check for these services when interviewing candidates.

Advising you on maximizing your sale price

Real estate agents are vats of information. They talk to colleagues, stay up on market trends, and hear from buyers. They know what types of spaces people in the local market are seeking.

As such, a real estate agent provides excellent advice for sellers. After a walkthrough, they can recommend renovations that will appeal to buyers and boost the home’s value—plus, they may give you tips for cleaning, decluttering, and staging your property. They’ll also be able to connect you with a home inspector who can identify essential repairs, as well as professional contractors and stagers who can help fix up your place.

Pricing your property 

Real estate agents (together with appraisers) are versed in determining how much properties should cost. Realtors also know whether it’s the right time to list your home or if it's better to wait until market conditions improve. 

A good real estate agent will give you their honest opinion on whether you should try selling your property now and refer you to an appraiser. Combining appraisal results and the realtor’s comparative market analysis (CMA), you can set a reasonable price for your home—neither too low nor out of local buyers’ range. Experienced agents will have likely sold homes in the same style and price range and have first-hand experience to complement data. 

Listing and marketing your home

The more potential buyers your property gets in front of, the better chance you have of making a sale to the right match. A seller’s agent should shine at marketing homes well—not to mention as thoroughly as possible. Realtors will put your property on websites, the multiple listing service (MLS), and social media. 

Great selling agents push creative marketing plans that help your property stand out. This all starts with high-quality professional photos that show the space in its best light. Listings might also contain creative media to grab attention: like video walk-throughs, drone footage—even GIFs. 

Networking 

One of the key advantages of working with an agent instead of trying to sell your home on your own is that realtors have built networks—both with colleagues and potential buyers. So, a realtor can leverage their connections to try to get your property before the right buyer faster, whether by recommending the home to a colleague or connecting with a client who’d expressed an interest in the type of space you’re selling. 

Some agents may also have healthy social networks, meaning that they can amplify your listing’s reach on these platforms. 

Handling buyer communications 

So, your agent is generating tons of interest in your property. That’s great news. But the last thing you have time to do as a home seller is field emails and calls from potential buyers. What’s more, you don’t likely have the expertise that an agent does for weeding out buyers who aren’t a fit. 

Listing realtors will take charge of talking and meeting with prospective buyers, ensuring that only the most qualified and interested parties rise to the top. An agent’s dedication to this process helps a sale move more efficiently and ensures a property ends up in the right hands. Uncommitted buyers can cause setbacks at closing that you’d be wise to avoid. 

Helping with open houses

While you may be proud to show off your property, it’s best if an agent does it. They’re experts at highlighting features buyers want to see and keeping open house tours on schedule. 

Realtors will also explain how you can be most helpful on showing days, giving you staging and cleaning tips and letting you know what to avoid: like putting out snacks that might actually have a negative effect (by stinking up your kitchen) or jumping into the conversation with buyers at a moment when the agent is handling questions well. 

Negotiating the close

When you receive an offer on your home, it can be tempting to leap. But an agent, who’s not emotionally invested in the sale, can coolly and collectedly navigate the closing process, negotiating the best price possible and contingencies (changes to the property the buyer wants done before purchasing it).  

Realtors are also experts on closing costs—all of the fees associated with making a sale, including administrative ones, commissions, and taxes. Real estate agents help you understand these costs so that you’re clear on your commitments and how much you’ll net from the sale. 

Correctly doing paperwork

Paperwork is generally a headache, and real estate documentation can spur legal issues when done incorrectly. Agents have the experience and know-how to ensure that your sale paperwork is filled out and filed correctly. Realtors will help you accurately make your seller’s disclosures (admissions about known issues with the property), too. 

Realtors also have insurance that protects them—and, in turn, the seller—from errors and omissions in the case of an undesired mistake. 

Seller’s agents help clients get funding for renovations

Another perk of working with a seller’s agent is that they can help you secure funding for renovations and repairs that can boost your home’s attractiveness and value. 

When you work with a realtor who partners with Titus, you gain access to a special financing product known as a closing line of credit (CLoC). Home sellers can use a zero-interest credit line to perform upgrades on their property before going to market—helping ensure the most high-value sale possible. Discover how it works here.