If you’re thinking of selling, you’ll likely connect with people who want to help. Some will be agents and some will be investors. Check out this blog post to read about 3 ways to tell real estate agents and investors apart in Fort Myers, and help you understand why you might want to work with one versus the other…
Thinking about selling your house? You might be approached by a bunch of different people who all offer to help you sell. But not everyone who offers to help will help in the same way. Some are real estate agents, other are real estate investors and they’ll help you in different ways. Here are 3 ways to tell real estate agents and investors apart in Fort Myers.
Ways To Tell Real Estate Agents And Investors Apart In Fort Myers: List Versus Buy
The easiest way to tell agents from investors is to ask what they are going to do with your house – list it or buy it. A real estate agent will list your house on a listing service and they’ll try to find a buyer. They might need to show it to several people in order to find one buyer.
An investor, on the other hand, isn’t going to list your house – the investor is a buyer and they will buy your house from you directly. (That’s what we do at Core Real Estate Properties – we’re buyers and we buy houses in Fort Myers. If you want to sell your house, click here and enter your information to find out how much we can pay).
Ways To Tell Real Estate Agents And Investors Apart In Fort Myers: Timeline To Sell
Asking about timeline is a great way to distinguish between an agent and an investor. An agent typically works on behalf of a seller and needs to find the right buyer for a property, which can take time. They might realistically be looking at a range of 3-12 months to show the house and negotiate offers until a suitable match is found.
In contrast, an investor usually has a more defined timeframe in mind. They may be looking for a property to flip quickly and resell within a few months, or they might be searching for a rental property that becomes available on a specific date. Since they are the buyer themselves, they have more control over the timeline and can move fast on a property that meets their criteria. By asking about their timeline and listening to their response, you can get a clearer sense of whether you’re dealing with an agent or an investor.
An investor, though, will know exactly how long it will take to buy your house since they’re the ones who will buy it. They will have an exact timeline (which could depend on you and how quickly you want to sell).
Ways To Tell Real Estate Agents And Investors Apart In Fort Myers: Commission Versus No Commission
This one is crucial! An agent makes their money when they find a buyer and then you have to pay them a commission on the house (which could be somewhere around 6% of the sale price… or $6,000 on a $100,000 house).
When you sell your house through a traditional realtor, they handle the marketing, showings, and negotiations for a commission. This commission can be a significant chunk of the final sale price. However, with an investor, the process is different. They are looking to acquire your property at a price that makes financial sense for their investment goals. This means you won’t be responsible for a realtor’s commission, but the sale price itself might be lower than what you could get on the open market. The upside is that investors are often interested in a quick and hassle-free transaction, which can be appealing if you need to sell your house fast.
There are other ways to tell an agent or investor apart. The best thing to do is just ask… they’ll tell you!