Questions to ask your
top real estate agent when Selling Your home
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10 Questions
to Ask Your
Realtor about
Selling a House
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Are you
a full-time
professional
real estate
agent? How
long have
you worked
full time in
real estate?
How long
have you
been
representing
buyers? What
professional
designations
do you have?
Knowing
whether or
not your
agent
practices
full time
can help you
determine
potential
scheduling
conflicts
and his or
her
commitment
to your
transaction.
As with any
profession,
the number
of years a
person has
been in the
business
does not
necessarily
reflect the
level of
service you
can expect,
but it is a
good
starting
point for
your
discussion.
The same
issue can
apply to
professional
designations.
-
Do you
have a
personal
assistant,
team or
staff to
handle
different
parts of the
purchase?
What are
their names
and how will
each of them
help me in
my
transaction?
How do I
communicate
with them?
It is not
uncommon for
agents who
sell a lot
of houses to
hire people
to work with
them. As
their
businesses
grow, they
must be able
to deliver
the same or
higher
quality
service to
more people.
You may want
to know who
on the team
will take
part in your
transaction,
and what
role each
person will
play. You
may even
want to meet
the other
team members
before you
decide to
work with
the team. If
you have a
question
about fees
on your
closing
statement,
who would
handle that?
Who will
show up to
your
closing?
-
Do you
have a
Website that
will list my
home? Can I
have your
URL address?
Who responds
to emails
and how
quickly?
What's your
email
address?
Many buyers
prefer to
search
online for
homes
because it's
available 24
hours a day
and can be
done at
home. So you
want to make
sure your
home is
listed
online,
either on
the agent's
Website or
on their
company's
site. By
searching
your agent's
Website you
will get a
clear
picture of
how much
information
is available
online.
-
How will
you keep in
contact with
me during
the selling
process, and
how often?
Some agents
may email,
fax or call
you daily to
tell you
that
visitors
have toured
your home,
while others
will keep in
touch
weekly.
Asking this
question can
help you to
reconcile
your needs
with your
agent's
systems.
-
What do
you do that
other agents
don't that
ensures I'm
getting top
dollar for
my home?
What is your
average
market time
versus other
agents'
average
market time?
Marketing
skills are
learned, and
sometimes a
real estate
professional's
unique
method of
research and
delivery
make the
difference
between
whether or
not a home
sells
quickly. For
example, an
agent might
research the
demographics
of your
neighborhood
and present
you a target
market list
for direct
marketing
purposes.
-
Will you
give me
names of
past
clients?
Interviewing
an agent can
be similar
to
interviewing
someone to
work in your
office.
Contacting
references
can be a
reliable way
for you to
understand
how he or
she works,
and whether
or not this
style is
compatible
with your
own.
-
Do you
have a
performance
guarantee?
If I am not
satisfied
with your
performance,
can I
terminate
our listing
agreement?
In the
heavily
regulated
world of
real estate,
it can be
difficult
for an agent
to offer a
performance
guarantee.
If your
agent does
not have a
guarantee,
it does not
mean they
are not
committed to
high
standards.
Typically,
he or she
will
verbally
outline what
you can
expect from
their
performance.
Keller
Williams®
Realty
understands
the
importance
of win-win
business
relationships:
the agent
does not
benefit if
the client
does not
also
benefit.
-
How will
you get
paid? How
are your
fees
structured?
May I have
that in
writing?
In many
areas, the
seller pays
all agent
commissions.
Sometimes,
agents will
have other
small fees,
such as
administrative
or special
service
fees, that
are charged
to clients,
regardless
of whether
they are
buying or
selling. Be
aware of the
big picture
before you
sign any
agreements.
Ask for an
estimate of
costs from
any agent
you
contemplate
employing.
-
How
would you
develop
pricing
strategies
for our
home?
Although
location and
condition
affect the
selling
process,
price is the
primary
factor in
determining
if a home
sells
quickly, or
at all.
Access to
current
property
information
is
essential,
and
sometimes a
pre-appraisal
will help.
Ask your
agent how
they created
the market
analysis,
and whether
your agent
included For
Sale by
Owner homes,
foreclosed
homes and
bank-owned
sales in
that list.
-
What
will you do
to sell my
home? Who
determines
where and
when my home
is marketed/
promoted?
Who pays for
your
advertising?
Ask your
real estate
agent to
present to
you a clear
plan of how
marketing
and
advertising
dollars will
be spent. If
there are
other forms
of marketing
available
but not
specified in
the plan ask
who pays for
those.
Request
samples or
case studies
of the types
of marketing
strategies
that your
agent
proposes
(such as
Internet
Websites,
print
magazines,
open houses,
and local
publications).
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