Hello … I Heard You Are Moving

Roses at Elizabeth ParkMichael Wilson, artistic director of the Hartford Stage, is going to be receiving that call quite often over the next year. Today’s Hartford Courant announced Mr. Wilson’s intent to leave the theater at the end of the upcoming season. Although news of his departure was probably enough to catch the attention of the more astute local real estate agents, the final sentence guaranteed that he will be one of the most popular people in Hartford real estate for the foreseeable future. The article ended with, “Wilson said he is likely to sell his Hartford home…”

Agents get their business from anywhere and everywhere. There are thousands of deals each year in Greater Hartford, each with a buyer and seller. Which is important since there are hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of agents in the area. We estimate that there are over 400 real estate agents based out of West Hartford offices alone.

For the majority of listing opportunities, the sellers reach out to the agent(s) they want to work with. In some cases, the client will call a local real estate office to find help. The client controls the most important piece of information – that they are planning to sell their home – and has reasonable control over how many agents are considered.

In this case, news of an individual leaving the area made the paper, which means that lots and lots of agents know about the opportunity. Some may even call Mr. Wilson to pitch their services. Hopefully, for his sake, he knows this may happen and is comfortable turning people away.

If you’re planning to move, our recommendation is to put some time and thought into who you pick as your agent. Something along these lines:

1. Gather a list of agents that friends, family, and co-workers have had good experiences with.

2. Research the agents on your own. Who are they? Where do they work? How much business do they do? Do they seem knowledgeable?

3. Offer 2 – 3 agents the chance to interview for the opportunity to list your home. This will allow you to get multiple pricing opinions and see a range of personalities and business styles.

4. Choose the one that you feel most comfortable working with, and who can articulate a concrete plan for marketing your home.

Real estate is an individual sport – you are hiring a specific agent to work for you. They may pitch the support services of their broker in their presentation, but at the end of the day the service you get is whatever they commit to provide. There are large differences between agents, both between companies and within a single broker office. It’s worth your time to talk to a few of us. And of course we would love to be included on that list.