Illusion No. 3: It doesn’t matter which real estate agent you choose …

Bad luck, failures, mishaps – especially when selling Real Estate, this can be very expensive. We wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but unfortunately clients tell us time and again that they have had bad experiences with unprofessional estate agents.

What can go wrong when selling a property?

• The real estate agent lacks training and expertise
  Many real estate agents are career changers and have no formal training in real estate. Consequently, they lack the necessary expertise to successfully market properties. For example, such agents do not prepare professional sales documentation, do not thoroughly familiarize themselves with the property for sale, or do not adequately address the needs of prospective buyers.
   
• The real estate agent cannot appraise
  Very few real estate agents are capable of appraising properties. This requires extensive market knowledge and a great deal of experience. This inability poses a problem for the seller of a property. There is a risk that the agent will set a selling price that is too low or too high. If the selling price is too high, the property cannot be sold within a reasonable timeframe. This results in valuable time being lost. Furthermore, potential buyers are deterred by unrealistically high price expectations. If the price is set too low, the seller is effectively giving away money to the buyer, who ends up being happier about the successful purchase than the seller. This has shattered many a seller’s illusions. Negative examples include promising selling prices that are far too high or making guarantees that the property will be sold within a short period of time. Others, on the other hand, fail to adequately explain the situation regarding the land registry or building regulations. This can lead to unpleasant surprises during the Sales process.
   
• The real estate agent has no idea about financing
  In Switzerland, 50 % to 60 % of properties are financed by banks, so it is important to know their principles and valuation criteria. It is also important for buyers and sellers that the purchase is made step by step. It must not be the case that one party is left without property or the other party without money after a transaction.
   
• The real estate agent has no idea about contract, construction and tax law
  Imprecise contracts are a very expensive matter for both the seller and the buyer. Depending on the situation, property gains tax law is also very important. Many estate agents have no specialist knowledge in this area and do not advise their clients carefully enough. The legal errors of poor advice often exceed the broker’s fee.
   
• A real estate agent is a good advisor but not a salesperson
  Ultimately, a property must be sold. Very few real estate agents possess the sales talent and tact required for this. With good sales skills, the selling price of a property can be maximized. In this way, the agent can create added value for the seller.
   
• Real estate marketing is a foreign concept
  Very few real estate agents are able to market a property in a structured manner. Target markets or target groups are not carefully selected and therefore not addressed efficiently. If the seller wants discreet marketing, the estate agent must take a more differentiated approach than, for example, when selling at auction.
   
• The real estate agent does not have access to the potential target group
  “Cobbler stick to your last” – not all properties can be sold by all agents. A real estate agent should specialize in a certain market area or a certain property category. It makes no sense to sell properties abroad if you don’t speak the language or know the market.
   
• The real estate agent has insufficient market knowledge
  A market is a volatile platform that is subject to continuous change. Only those who manage a sufficient number of transactions and carefully monitor the market can operate successfully in this challenging environment. An estate agent must also undergo regular further training, otherwise they will quickly lose track of things.
   
• The real estate agent takes off after the sale
  A real estate agent should remain available to both the seller and the buyer after the sale is finalized. He maintains his role as a mediator and takes the concerns of both the buyer and the seller equally seriously even after the sale. If questions or problems arise, they advise both parties and, if necessary, act as a mediator.

Why you should choose us

We love something special

• Maintaining and preserving special values are the basis of our business activities since 1944.
• We work passionately and professionally and are personally committed to the concerns and success of our clients.
• As one of the oldest and most traditional houses in the region, Ginesta Immobilien guarantees a very personal and individual service.
• We operate throughout Switzerland as a comprehensive real estate service provider and currently employ over 20 people.
• We are increasingly international. By joining one of the largest international broker networks – Leading Real Estate Companies of The World (www.leadingRE.com) – we have found the ideal partner to meet our high expectations. The network is internationally significant, is already the market leader in the USA and, in addition to Ginesta Immobilien, is represented in Switzerland by two other leading companies in French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva/Lausanne) and Ticino. Leading RE makes real estate services accessible to us and our clients around the globe.

PDF Illusion No. 3

Author: Claude Ginesta

Claude A. Ginesta is a federally certified real estate trustee and CEO/owner of Ginesta Immobilien AG. The company was founded in 1944 and specializes in real estate sales in the Zurich and Graubünden regions. For properties of supraregional significance, the company operates as a real estate broker throughout Switzerland via its branches in Küsnacht, Horgen, and Chur.
 

Publisher of the Illusions series: Ginesta Immobilien AG, www.ginesta.ch