Deciding to sell your home is a huge decision. Once you have made the decision to sell, there are many other big decisions that follow. How much will you list it for? When will you list? Where will you move to? The list of subsequent questions goes on and on. This litany of pending decisions can be overwhelming. The good news is that hiring a qualified Realtor be a huge step in answering all of those big questions. A good agent has all of the resources and expertise to help guide you on setting a listing price, tracking a timeline, helping you find your next home, and so on.
The key to hiring the right agent for the job is to interview a few candidates. It is also important to ask the right questions. Take some time to get to know an agent before making the final judgment call. After all, this is that person that will be guiding you on almost every decision that pertains to the sale of your biggest investment. You want to hire someone that has the relevant experience. You also want to hire a Realtor that you trust and feel comfortable with. Here are some questions that you should ask when interviewing a listing agent.
Top Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Listing Agent
Are you a full-time real estate agent?
Full-time real estate agents are likely to have more experience and resources than part-time agents do. If an agent identifies themself as part-time, ask them why. You may not want to hire an agent that has a full-time job while selling homes on the side.
Do you have experience selling homes in this area?
Market conditions differ from city to city. There can also be nuances within specific areas and neighborhoods. Hiring an agent with experience selling homes in your neighborhood could give you a great advantage.
What is your current inventory of listings?
Getting this info will allow you to understand how busy the agent is. Hiring a productive agent is a good idea.
What are your fees? Are they negotiable?
This is should be pretty straightforward. If they have difficulty answering this or if their fees are non-negotiable, you may want to move on.
Do you have a marketing plan for selling my home?
A true professional will have a plan. Ask some specific questions about it and ask to see it.
- Who would you target?
- where would you focus your advertising/efforts?
- What are the top selling features of my home?
How much do you think my home will sell for?
They should be well prepared for this question. In addition to providing an approximate sales price, they should offer plenty of data to support their determination. This is a great opportunity for you see understand their knowledge of the local market, current trends, and other factors that affect your home’s value.
What length of the contract do you desire?
Remember that this is negotiable. Don’t enter into a contract that locks you in longer than you are comfortable with. A sensible length of commitment to an agent will also depend on market conditions for your home’s specific market. For example; Luxury homes often take longer to sell and require the Realtor® to spend more money marketing the listing.
How and how often will you communicate with me?
This is huge. There are a lot of moving parts to the home selling process. Communication will be key. Proper communication will lower your stress throughout the process. It will also allow you and your agent to always be on the same page in case challenges arise.
Why should I hire you over your competition?
They should have an answer ready. The answer will give you insight into the agent’s value to you as a home seller. Does it line up with what is most important to you?
Interviewing an Agent to Help you Sell your Home
Asking the right questions when interviewing a real estate agent to help you sell your home can help you avoid unnecessary stress and setbacks throughout the process. Hiring the right agent can also help you sell your home faster and for the most money possible.