As a Realtor who primarily works with Sellers, I have found that those homeowners who take the time to find the right Realtor are consistently happier with their home-selling experience and outcome, than those who don’t take the time for interviewing other agents. It’s the first and most critical step in selling your home. So I have compiled a list of questions that you might want to ask.
As a general rule of thumb, you’re looking for an agent who:
- Has the experience, qualifications and abilities to sell your home for top-dollar.
- Has in-depth knowledge of your area and the market in general.
- Will work hard on your behalf.
- Has the resources to support the sales effort.
- Will keep you well-informed during the process.
- Has a personality you are comfortable with.
By asking the following questions, you can dramatically improve your odds of having a successful home-selling experience and get one of the best agents working for you!
- How long have you been an active, full-time Realtor?
- What professional designations do you have?
- How many homes have you listed in the last 6 months? The past year?
- How many homes have you sold in the last 6 months? The past year?
- What’s the average amount of time one of your listings are on the market before they sell?
- What is your average sale price compared to the original list price?
- How many homes are you currently marketing?
- What can you tell me about your share of the marketplace compared to other Realtors in the area?
- What percentage of your business is based on referrals?
- Do you have a personal staff? How many are licensed? (A Realtor who has a support team to handle office chores and routine details can usually devote more time to the business of serving a client’s highest priority needs and getting the home sold quickly)
- How will you market my home?
- Do you hire a professional photography when listing my home?
- Who pays for the advertising within your company? Ask if the agent does (usually the case) and if it is the company, Ask where they advertise and how often? Ask where advertising is done on-line, what websites? Can they name them or show you a list? Ask, will my home be showcased- VERY IMPORTANT! Meaning, will it be highlighted and at the top of the website it is advertised on, etc. etc.
- Do you have your own personal Web site? This is important because it shows a sense of commitment, nothing more. Most people will go to the bigger websites to get there information when searching for a home, like REALTOR.com. Look to see what the Realtors homepage is like and how much time they have invested in there image.
- What sites do you advertise on and do you pay extra to have the home showcased or ranked at the top?
- How will you keep me informed? How often?
- Do you have something called forms set up where I can sign electronically? Please explain? Ask them this because most will say, YES, but do not have the programs or security to support it!
- What listing price would you recommend for my home? How did you arrive at its price?
- Can you explain to me what Absorption Rate means and how to calculate it? Are there any falacies in the Absorption Rate number?
- What’s your pricing/marketing philosophy 30/60/90 days down the road?
- What is your commission on a sale? What if you both list and sell my property? Note: don’t always go for the cheapest guy in town- Remember the old saying, you get what you pay for!
- Can you provide me with a list of references?
- Do you have a sample property brochure that I can see? (The quality of the material is often a reflection of what that Realtor thinks of your property is worth or how much they care to invest out of their pocket)- Never settle for anything but the best!
- Do you have an online management system for keeping digital files?
- Am I comfortable with this person? Does he or she have values, integrity and seem trustworthy? (This question is not for the agent. It’s for you!)
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