Which is better when selling: big broker or young broker?

I think there's always merit to working with someone with experience. Remember that your broker will be dealing with bids (hopefully!) and making counter-offers on your behalf. You want someone who is confident and able to handle negotiations.

It also makes sense to see whether there's a particular broker or firm that does a lot of deals in your particular nabe/building. Someone who really knows what they're selling will be able to market it in the best possible way.

You want someone who's going to write up a kick-ass description for your listing (good grammar and punctuation, punchy copy) and who will make sure your apartment is well photographed. I'm not necessarily suggesting greener brokers cannot do this, but it has been my experience that more seasoned agents have a better knack for the finer points of advertising.

Plus, most experienced brokers have younger agents working with them. A good broker will know when to send the youngster, and when to be hands-on.

That all makes sense. But what about big vs. small market? Do all agents know both? Or would a just-starting-out agent know the small-apt market better because the big apts usually go to the more seasoned agents?

oh wait, I wrote my last post before seeing aboutready's. So are you saying that younger brokers at big firms apprentice with older ones even if they're not acknowledging it? So with a younger broker, I'm getting their time and energy--and their mentor's experience?

the hungrier one?

Ha! That would be an interesting test. Put a sandwich in front of them and see...

...it would certainly make this decision easier.

if that's all I had to do. (sorry! my fingers are moving faster than my brain)

i don't know if it trickles both down and up. my broker is very established, he always has someone working with him. i signed on with him, however, and he's the one i want to make or receive the calls when i want to negotiate, particularly if i want to play hardball.

what area are you in? give a shout-out here. even this group of broker-haters has some we really like. interview at least three, go to their web sites to see the buildings they've been active in, and what they've sold. you need someone who can sell your place and who you can tolerate during the process. do a search for some comps and know a price range when you meet with the brokers. run as fast as you can from anyone who wants to "test" the market at a point higher than the comps.

good luck.

I would go with a big firm (lots of marketing traffic) and a person with a ton of experience who is hungry to sell your place (ie - not somebody who is selling 10 other things right now)...

Send me your email and I will give you the name of the person I used. I was very happy with my results.

Good Luck.

I wouldn't go with someone truly just starting out--even assuming inherent intelligence and savvy there is alot to be said for experience with various aspects of marketing, negotiating and closing.It doesn't necessarily follow that the more experience the better, but someone who has succesfully marketed and closed similar units in the nabe would be helpful. Also being too hungry is not always a good thing--you want someone who cares, but you don't want someone whose rent money depends on the expeditious sale of your unit, as that person is unlikely to be able to take the necessary step back to really do the best for you. In terms of big or small agency--I know much is made of the huge amount of traffic on the Elliman or Corcoran site, but at this point with the ease of getting things out there I just don't think it matters that much.If you do go for a small shop though, they need to demonstrate efficiency and professionalism equal to what you would expect from the big shops: Marketing budget, a professional looking web presence, professional pictures and floorplans, email blasts to the brokerage community, etc. Finally I always feel that getting a personal recommendation from family or friends is the best way to go--a broker who comes to you recommended by another client/customer is far less apt to look at you and your business as a one time thing and more likely to regard you as a relationship to be valued. Good luck!

In a lot of buildings, there's one broker who has sold the most units in there: they know a lot about the building already, so you don't have to worry about someone not wanting to do a lot of research about the Coop because the commission is small. Also, they have a vested interest in keeping the building "locked up", so they will try hard to keep being know as the broker who sells everything in the building.

aboutready, where do I find your email address?

val, it's aboutreadyse. add @gmail.com.

Hi aboutready, the email isn't going through. It's aboutreadyse.add@gmail.com ?

ValB--I think she was just telling you to "add"the "@gmail.com" to the"aboutreadyse"

no, i didn't want it to be an openable link so i put "add@gmail.com." the handle is just "aboutreadyse".

and the mail direction is "@gmail.com" sorry for the confusion.

thanks! Was still sleepy when reading.

The younger broker is the better one. Expescialy a young female who can seduce male clients into buying your shoebox.

val, have replied. cheers.

let's not discount the charms of young male brokers either

There's also a difference between if you're selling or buying. If you're selling def take the more experienced broker with a big firm and a big rolodex. If you're buying a place, it doesn't matter: take the more fun broker.

whoever you click with, really. It takes 6-9 months to sell an apartment, so if both brokers seem hungry (and trust me, everyone is in this market) you want the one you have better communication with.

ali r.
{downtown broker}