Make sure you choose a real estate agent who
will provide top-notch service and meet your unique needs.
1.
How
long have you been in residential real estate sales? Is it your full-time job? While experience is
no guarantee of skill, real estate — like many other professions — is mostly
learned on the job.
2.
What
designations do you hold?
Designations such as GRI and CRS — which require that agents take additional, specialized
real estate training — are held by only about one-quarter of real estate
practitioners.
3.
How
many homes did you and your real estate brokerage sell last year? By asking this question, you’ll get a good idea
of how much experience the practitioner has.
4.
How
many days did it take you to sell the average home? How did that compare to the overall market? The
realtor you interview should have these facts on hand, and be able to present
market statistics from the local MLS to provide a comparison.
5.
How
close to the initial asking prices of the homes you sold were the final sale
prices? This is one indication
of how skilled the realtor is at pricing homes and marketing to suitable
buyers. Of course, other factors also may be at play, including an exceptionally
hot or cool real estate market.
6.
What
types of specific marketing systems and approaches will you use to sell my
home? You don’t want someone
who’s going to put a For Sale sign in the yard and hope for the best. Look for
someone who has aggressive and innovative approaches, and knows how to market
your property competitively on the Internet. Buyers today want information
fast, so it’s important that your realtor is responsive.
7.
Will
you represent me exclusively, or will you represent both the buyer and the
seller in the transaction?
While it’s usually legal to represent both parties in a transaction, it’s
important to understand where the practitioner’s obligations lie. Your realtor
should explain his or her agency relationship to you and describe the rights of
each party.
8.
Can
you recommend service providers who can help me obtain a mortgage, make home
repairs, and help with other things I need done? Because realtors are immersed in the industry,
they’re wonderful resources as you seek lenders, home improvement companies,
and other home service providers. Practitioners should generally recommend more
than one provider and let you know if they have any special relationship with
or receive compensation from any of the providers.
9.
What
type of support and supervision does your brokerage office provide to you? Having resources such as in-house support
staff, access to a real estate attorney, and assistance with technology can
help an agent sell your home.
10.
What’s
your business philosophy? While
there’s no right answer to this question, the response will help you assess
what’s important to the agent and determine how closely the agent’s goals and
business emphasis mesh with your own.
11.
How
will you keep me informed about the progress of my transaction? How frequently? Again, this is not a question with a correct
answer, but it reflects your desires. Do you want updates twice a week or do
you not want to be bothered unless there’s a hot prospect? Do you prefer phone,
e-mail, or a personal visit?
12.
Could
you please give me the names and phone numbers of your three most recent
clients? Ask recent clients if
they would work with this realtor again. Find out whether they were pleased
with the communication style, follow-up, and work ethic of the agent.