Questions
to Ask When Choosing a REALTOR®
| 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 company sell last year? |
| 4. |
How many days
did it take you to sell the average home? How did
that compare to the overall market? |
| 5. |
How close to
the initial asking prices of the homes you sold were the
final sale prices? |
| 6. |
What types
of specific marketing systems and approaches will you
use to sell my home? Look for someone who has agressive,
innovative approaches, not just someone who's going to
put a sign in the yard and hope for the best. |
| 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 agent's obligations
lie. A good agent will explain the agency relationship
to you and describe the rights of each party. It's
also possible to insist that the agent represent you exclusively. |
| 8. |
Can you recommend
service providers who can assist me in obtaining a mortgage,
making repairs on my home, and other things I need done?
Keep in mind that agents should generally recommend more
than one provider and should tell you if they receive
any compensation from any provider. |
| 9. |
What type of
support and supervision does your brokerage office provide
to you? Having reasources such as in-house support
staff, access to a real estate attorney, or 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—fast sales, service, etc.—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? Using what media? Again, this
is not a question with a correct answer, but that one
reflects your desires. Do you want updates twice
a week or don't want to be bothered unless there's a hot
prospect? Do you prefer phone, email, or a personal
visit? |
| 12. |
Could you please
give the names and phone numbers of your three most recent
clients? |
Return
to Buying Tips Page
Dennis Martin Realty
info@dennismartinrealty.com
|
