Questions to Ask When Choosing a REALTOR®
Make sure you choose a REALTOR® who will
provide top-notch service and meet your unique needs.
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 real
estate brokerage sell last year?
By asking this question, you’ll get a
good idea of how much experience the practitioner has.
4. How many days did it take you to sell
the average home? How did that compare to the overall
market?
The REALTOR® you interview should have
these facts on hand, and be able to present market
statistics from the local MLS to provide a comparison.
5. How close to the initial asking prices
of the homes you sold were the final sale prices?
This is one indication of how skilled the
REALTOR® is at pricing homes and marketing to suitable
buyers. Of course, other factors also may be at play,
including an exceptionally hot or cool real estate
market.
6. What types of specific marketing
systems and approaches will you use to sell my home?
You don’t want someone who’s going to put a For Sale
sign in the yard and hope for the best. Look for someone
who has aggressive and innovative approaches, and knows
how to market your property competitively on the
Internet. Buyers today want information fast, so it’s
important that your REALTOR® is responsive.
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
practitioner’s obligations lie. Your REALTOR® should
explain his or her agency relationship to you and
describe the rights of each party.
8. Can you recommend service providers
who can help me obtain a mortgage, make home repairs,
and help with other things I need done?
Because REALTORS® are immersed in the industry, they’re
wonderful resources as you seek lenders, home
improvement companies, and other home service providers.
Practitioners should generally recommend more than one
provider and let you know if they have any special
relationship with or receive compensation from any of
the providers.
9. What type of support and supervision
does your brokerage office provide to you?
Having resources such as in-house support staff, access
to a real estate attorney, and 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 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?
Again, this is not a question with a
correct answer, but it reflects your desires. Do you
want updates twice a week or do you not want to be
bothered unless there’s a hot prospect? Do you prefer
phone, e-mail, or a personal visit?
12. Could you please give me the names
and phone numbers of your three most recent clients?
Ask recent clients if they would work
with this REALTOR® again. Find out whether they were
pleased with the communication style, follow-up, and
work ethic of the REALTOR®.
