Not all real estate agents are the same and every agent claims to be the best. It’s your job as the seller to find the right person to take on the responsibility of selling your home. To find the right real estate agent for you, you’ll need to interview potential candidates to ask the right kind of questions. Here are a few to help get you started.
- How long have you been selling real estate? You want to find out how long a Realtor has been in business but keep in mind. A seasoned real estate agent will be able to prepare you when issues come up and be able to solve those problems. However, more experience does not always mean the agent is better. Younger agents can be hungrier for the sale. If a young agent is supported by a team of seasoned real estate professionals, he or she may be the best candidate to sell your home. It is important to consider which answer to this question would be most appropriate for you.
- How many homes did you sell in the last year? Of course you want to hear that the agent has sold hundreds of homes in the last year. You want to see a track record of success. Consider asking the agent the same question for the last three years. You want to see that the agent performs regularly year after year despite dips in the economy.
- Can you tell me the average number of days the homes were on the market? You’ll want to hire a Realtor that will hit the ground running on day one after you've listed your home. By asking this question, you’ll determine how hard the agent works at pricing the home just right and the marketing tactics they use to help sell your home. Remember that pricing a home right is the biggest factor in selling a home quickly. One of the top home seller mistakes when choosing a Realtor is picking someone based on the price they give you (thinking that is the price you want to hear). A good real estate agent factors in market conditions and recent sales in the area to accurately price your home. A home that is accurately priced will sell quicker than an overpriced home. If you’re goal is to sell your home quickly, choose an agent that truthfully prices your home and works hard from day one to get the job done.
- Do you have a team or an assistant? Who will be the primary person to communicate with me? An agent that is busy selling homes cannot handle day to day tasks such as paperwork and showing feedback. A good agent will have a team of resources that will assist in the sale of your home. Ask questions about the agent’s team. For example, who will communicate with me? What is their role within your team? As a seller you’ll want to know that the real estate agent you choose is making your home their priority. While you want an agent that has the forethought and resources to hire assistance, you also want someone who makes communications with you and with buyers a priority. Your agent should stay in regular contact with you about what is going on with your sale. Find out more about your agent’s communication plan to ensure you are choosing the right agent to represent you in the sale of your home.
- How will you use the Internet to market my home? Most buyers start their home search on the Internet. The right agent knows that online presence is important including having an easy to use website that can track who is viewing your property. Also, choose an agent that has the ability to promote listings using social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+). The agent you choose should be using modern methods to be in front of more people promoting your home and their business. There are lots of ways of promoting real estate through social media. Real Estate agents that understand this become very visible online and it shows!
- How will you photograph my home? Can you help make my home more marketable? A good real estate agent is skilled on how to take good photos of your home. If they can’t, a good real estate agent will hire a professional photographer. As we said earlier, buyers begin their home search on the internet and if you don’t have high quality photos of your home online, your home may be overlooked. Also, a good agent will give you tips on how to properly stage your home to make it more desirable for buyers. A good real estate agent will not be afraid to point of your homes’ flaws. There are agents who don’t for fear of losing out on the opportunity to list your home. The best real estate agents never worry about losing business. They always keep the clients best interests at heart.
Finally, take time to make a proper decision. Selling your home can be stressful and you want this to be a smooth process. Use the questions above to help you choose the right agent to sell your home. Contact one of our Expert Real Estate Team members today and we’d love to answer these questions for you.