4 Important Questions to Ask Your Real Estate Agent
The process of buying or selling a home can be overwhelming, no matter where you live. There are several important details to consider before you can sign your name on the dotted line — from your budget and neighborhood preferences to the steps you need to take to pack up your home.
Finding a realtor you can trust is a crucial piece of the puzzle. Realtors are instrumental in facilitating the conversations between buyers and sellers and will use their expertise to negotiate the best possible price for their clients.
Realtors are meant to be your advisor and trusted partner as you begin the process of selling or buying a home. Once you’ve found them, you should consider asking these important questions.
About Their Experience
If you’re placing your trust in the hands of a licensed real estate agent, you want to ensure they have the experience you need to sell your home or find a new property. It’s important to seek out professionals that have successfully helped their clients in the past.
Experience means more than their years in the business — it’s important to consider their list-to-sell ratio. This ratio compares the original list price of the home to the price it sells at. Any agent worth their salt will have this number handy during your first meeting. Look for an agent with as close to 100 percent as possible. This tells you they know how to get the most for their client. Williams & Goodwin, The Property People offers real-estate, property management, development and other services.
About Their Market Knowledge
The experts at the Adam Weiner + Associates real estate firm know just how important it is to have a realtor that knows their neighborhoods like the back of their hand. That’s why they recommend asking your realtor about the current market and the areas you’re looking to buy — because a real estate agent that knows what they’re doing should be able to present their insight without hesitation.
They should be able to identify key market trends, previous homes that sold, and the benefits of living in various areas of the city.
About Their Marketing Strategies
If you’re selling property, your realtor should be able to articulate how they’re going to market your property. Marketing ensures more buyers view your home and, with the right techniques, should draw enough interest to warrant multiple showings and, hopefully, multiple bids.
Ask your realtor how they’re going to showcase your home. Will they use their network of contacts? Will they incorporate social media? Knowing how they’re going to promote your home will give you a sense of whether their methods align with what you’re looking for in a trusted real estate professional.
About Their Current Listings
The last thing you want is to get lost in the shuffle, and working with a realtor who’s juggling too many clients could make that a reality. Before you sign on with them, talk to your potential agent about their current listings, and you should be able to get a sense of their commitment to your business and whether or not they’ll be able to give you the attention you need to sell your home or to find a new property.
