What I find most interesting about the article is the fact that small real estate companies are finding success in our current market. It shows you that many sellers (and buyers) appreciate the high level of service and attention they get from agents who understand and appreciate the benefits of working at a "boutique" firm.
I've had conversations with sellers who think the only way to sell their home is by hiring an agent who works with a large company. They think the large company can market their home more successfully. In reality, that's not necessarily the case. Since most buyers begin their search on-line ( as you're doing now), it's important for a listing agent to have quality photos of the home. These photos aren't shown just on the local MLS, but get "shared" on blogs like mine, on Face Book, Twitter and other real estate sites, such as Realtor.com, Trulia, etc.etc. They're there for the world to see! It's important for those photos to be the best quality and to show your house in its best light.
An agent at a small firm has as much access to buyers for his/her listings as an agent at "X" big brokerage. It's simply true in our high-tech world.
A good quality agent with a small firm who invests the time, effort and money required to market your home for sale in a manner that will get it in front of more buyers in its best light is better, by leaps and bounds, than an agent at a big firm who doesn't.
When you want to sell your home, don't automatically contact agents at big firms only; meet with the agent at a boutique firm who understands the importance of quality marketing and who works for a firm that cultivates creativity and teamwork. It might be the difference between buyers looking at mediocre photos of your home plastered across the internet and reading boring descriptions of your home OR enticing buyers around the world with professionally done photos and with a well thought out and creative written description of your home.
Russell Hill
760.902.3121
