Top 10 Questions To Ask A Real Estate Agent
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This post is an awareness post. For buyers, getting the right questions asked of an agent before you develop a formal arrangement is key. My first piece of advice is to look at the real estate blogs. These are the givers.
But what if you are an agent, you also have to be prepared with good strong answers (and honest) when your potential clients ask these questions. And they will.
Lifehacker, one of the most popular weblogs on the internet linked this past weekend to Dumb Little Man who asked the questions I have given below and also gave answers and tips. For those in the know, after Lifehacker and Digg (and little old me) are done, this will probably be near the top of any google search for “Questions realtor” or “selling a home”.
So as a smart agent who reads up on these things, follow the link at the end to Dumb Little Man, see his answers, and then have your own ready to go. Because whatever you think of them, you will be hearing them often going forward.
- How are you going to advertise my home?
- Why are you saying my home is worth $400K when I think its worth $325K?
- Is your realty company placing pictures on your website and other listing services?
- Will you be at the closing or will you send a lackey?
- Show me your municipal reporting on the area?
- What are your stats?
- How accessible are you
- What is your commission?
- How can I prepare to show my home?
- Can I have the names and phone numbers of the last 3 people that listed with you?
To see the answers, visit Dumb Little Man.
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Comment by Greg Swann on 22 January 2007:
> Because whatever you think of them, you will be hearing them often going forward.
Wanna bet? These kinds of lists have been around forever. Buyers seem never to interview multiple agents. Sellers are hyper-aware of who is getting the job done in their neighborhood.
FWIW, anyone who asks Question 4 in that form will get nothing but the dregs. I won’t work with people who start out with a hostile attitude. People who hate Realtors sue. Let ‘em sue someone else.
Comment by Robert Coté on 22 January 2007:
Why are you saying my home is worth $400K when I think its worth $325K?
Oh yeah, right. So this is 10 questions to ask your agent 8 years from now?
Comment by Tom on 22 January 2007:
I don’t think that the list is the best, but the exposure it is getting and the google juice it will have at the end of the process is going to make it have a very long shelf life.
As more and more people search the internet to find information the opportunity for them to print out a list like this and then use it improperly will ever increase.
Comment by Danilo Bogdanovic on 22 January 2007:
How about “How many transactions have you had in the past 12 months?”
And “Do you have an assistant or a fellow agent who backs you up whenever you are not available?”
Lack of experience and communication are two things that can seriously hurt a client and all parties involved.
Comment by Eric Medemar on 25 January 2007:
Dont forget old faithful, what percentage of your listings do you actually sell yourself?
or
Are you a full time realtor?
or
Can you show me some past examples of marketing campaigns
Comment by Alex Wang on 30 July 2007:
I’ve made a list of the top twelve questions to ask when hiring a Realtor. If the Realtor can’t answer these 12 questions, maybe you should find yourself another Realtor!
1. What Designations Do You Have?
2. Do You Have a Copy of Your Resume Available?
3. Can You Produce a List Of References?
4. What is your Specific Marketing Plan to Sell my Home?
5. What Type Of Marketing Materials Will You Create for our Property?
6. Do You Provide a Home Display Book for Prospective Buyers?
7. What Is Your Customer Satisfaction Guarantee?
8. What Systems Do You Have In Place To Keep Me Updated?
9. How many Families Have you Served?
10. What is Your Average Days-on-the-Market per listing sold?
11. What is Your Average-List-to-Sales-Price Ratio? What is Your Purchase-to-Sales-Price Ratio?
12. What Type of Negotiation Skills Do You Have?