Browse the local housing market in person
Drive or walk around town to check out repeat agent names on real estate signs (bonus if there’s a “sold” sign next to them!). According to your research, five percent of sellers find agents from a for-sale sign, while 16 percent hire a realtor based on knowing them from their community.
Talk To An Agent Personally At An Open House
Pop into a near by open house and observe the agent engages with potential buyers. Take the time to connect to the Realtor – don’t just grab a small business card and leave. Look out for personality and professional chemistry. Seven percent of sellers find their agents at an open house.
Compare Realtors online
Execute a quick name search online for the Realtors you’ve identified. An agent’s online occurrence (e.g., real estate websites, se’s and internet sites) is another best thing to a personal referral. Read what people locally are saying about a recommended Realtor. And, observe how that agent responds to negative reviews. Use Agent Finder tool to search for agents locally by star rating.
Get yourself a referral
There’s nothing much better than an individual referral from a friend or family member you trust. According to research, more than one in five sellers (22%) find their agent due to a referral from a pal, relative, neighbor or colleague.
Meet with at least three agents
When hiring an agent, don’t settle on the first agent you meet. According to research, 56% of sellers only ever contact one agent, but by talking with multiple agents, you’ll be able to compare to find somebody who is a good fit. Handle it such as a job interview – because it is! While you might have a front-runner predicated on a referral or local reputation, ask each of the three agents the same questions and compare their responses.
Ask the right questions
How long are you employed in real estate?
Do you primarily work with buyers or sellers?
Just how many active clients have you got at the same time?
Will you be part of an team?
What’s your specialty?
Are you equipped to take care of my unique situation?
How will you market my home?
Can you put me in touch with some references?
Explain your communication preferences
Make certain you’re on a single page from the get-go. Discuss the way the agent will keep you informed and exactly how often you anticipate to listen to from them. If you prefer email but the agent is most responsive to calls, you might not exactly be a good fit for every single other. Or, if you know you’re going to acquire lots of questions and expect quick responses, but the agent usually just sends bi-weekly updates, you may want to find a person who is an improved fit.
Clarify your motivation to market
Make sure you’ve made clear any requirements that are specific to your house sale. Have you been over a strict timeline? Have to reach a particular bottom dollar? Looking to fall within a particular timing window to avoid capital gains taxes? Make sure to share this info right from the start so your agent knows what things to expect.
Discuss selling strategy and quantity of showings
Make sure you and your potential Realtor are on a single page about their selling strategy. Will you do open houses? Just how many showings would you like to do? Just how much lead time will the agent offer you before a showing? How will the property be marketed?
Agree on all the important details
The best agent-seller relationships are those with plainly defined expectations. Make sure that, on paper, you’ve agreed after the commission structure, list price, and contract length (i.e., what goes on if your home hasn’t sold after a degree of time).
Questions to ask a Realtor
Your initial conversation with a possible listing agent should end up like any appointment: Don’t hesitate to ask the tough questions right from the start. An excellent agent ought to know his stats, and any dancing around these numbers could mean he’s hiding something. According to Crouch, you should ask the next:
How long are you in business? Aim for agents with at least two years of experience, plenty of time to learn the ropes and finesse their marketing and selling plans. Time (on the job) is money (in your pocket).
Just how many houses did you sell this past year? Search for agents with double-digit sales. “I wouldn’t consider a realtor unless they had 20 or even more sells yearly,” Crouch says.
What percentage of your listings would you sell? Ideally you want an agent that has sold typically 60% to 80%.
What is the common list price to actual sales price ratio for your listings? This may fluctuate by market, but you should still look for high numbers. “I would set a low bar of 95% to be acceptable for even the worst market conditions,” Crouch says.
Ms. Judy Hudek has been involved in real estate for over two decades. As a former CPA and business owner, she provides financial expertise to her clients and is passionate about helping them find their dream homes. Hudek has been recognized as one of the top 100 real estate agents in the US.