A Seller Listing Agreement is the contract between you, the seller, and your Sonoma County Realtor®. Thecontract protects both of you, and it outlines your rights and responsibilities. Once you agree to work with a particular agent, he or she will present you with the contract.
What the Seller Listing Agreement is All About
The Seller Listing Agreement, at its most basic, will outline:
- The term of the agreement. In real estate, term refers to the period of time you’ll agree to work with your Realtor. The longer you agree to work with the same agent, the more time he or she has to find a buyer. You can always extend the term of the agreement before it expires if you’re happy with your Realtor’s performance.
- Commission. Your Seller Listing Agreement will include the commission that you’ll pay the Realtor for marketing and selling your home once the transaction goes through. You won’t pay a commission if your home doesn’t sell.
- MLS authorization. Most Seller Listing Agreements give your Realtor authorization to post your home in the Multiple Listing Service, or MLS. This helps your agent reach a huge pool of prospective buyers; all other Realtors have access to the MLS, and your home will pop up when they’re searching for homes for their own clients.
- Lockbox. In order to sell your home as quickly as possible, it’s a smart idea to make it available when you’re not there. By affixing a tiny (but very secure) box to a fixed part of your home, such as the doorknob or doorknocker, your Realtor can leave a key for buyer’s agents who want to show the property. You don’t have to authorize the lock box, but it may help you reach more people and make the sale faster.
Ready to Put Your Sonoma County Home on the Market?
Call me at 707-869-1884 or contact me online. We’ll use our extensive experience to show you how stress-free selling your home can be. With our aggressive marketing tactics and strong industry knowledge, we will make this entire process as painless as possible.