What Sellers Should Ask Before Hiring A Real Estate Agent

When you put your home on the market, you want to align yourself with the best real estate team. Be thorough with your selection process, and take the time to interview a few candidates. Treat the process like a job interview – you are doing the hiring.   Here is a list of questions you will want to cover:

1)  Are you seeing trends in a particular neighborhood (or building)?  What about my neighborhood (or building)?  

2)  What is the current state of the market and how does that affect my property?

3)  What is the current inventory like in my listing price range?

 

4)  How established is your firm?  How does your firm differ from all the rest?

5)  Is it a buyer’s or seller’s market?  What does that mean for my home? 

6)  What is your opinion on the future market outlook?  Is now a good time to sell?

7)  What is your background?  What makes you different than your competitors?

8)  What type of buyer do you plan on targeting for my home, and how do you foresee reaching them?  (Please go over a marketing plan specific to my home.)

9) What type of marketing collateral will you create for my property? What outlets will you use, and what type of exposure will my property get?

10)  When are you available to show my property?  Do you work on the weekends? 

11) What do you do when you have a scheduling conflict for showings?

12)  How will you price my home? May I see a comparable market analysis that justifies the pricing?

The right agent should be passionate about selling your home, possess a wealth of market knowledge and be able to clearly justify their assessments. Superior customer service should be at the forefront of the agent’s presentation, and you should ultimately feel fully confident in their ability to sell your home. 

Also, don’t forget to seek out referrals from friends who have had positive experiences, and include those agents in the interview process.  Trust your instincts, listen carefully and don’t fall into a trap of choosing the agent who merely promises the highest price for you home.