How to choose the best real estate agent
to sell your New Hampshire home.
Interviewing a listing agent (seller's agent) over the Internet offers several advantages for you as a seller. You can do a little pre-qualifying before you meet the agent in person and you can see how your agent will use the Internet to communicate with you and to market your home. With more buyers turning to the Internet to view homes, shop for loans, and learn about the home buying process, the agent whom you choose to market your home can't afford not to be in command of this powerful tool called the Internet.
Although many agents will tell you that they can market your home effectively,
you need an agent who can meet several criteria including:
Being familiar with or specializing in your neighborhood - Having an office nearby
- Being current and a regular user of the Internet, e-mail, and Internet marketing techniques
- Having a list of clients who can give you their recommendations
Here are the 10 key questions all but the very best real estate agents hope you don't ask:
- (1) How long have you been selling homes in my vicinity?
- (2) What are the names, addresses and phone numbers of your five most recent home sellers?
- (3) What is your written marketing plan for my home?
- (4) Do you sell real estate full-time (dismiss part-time agents unless you want part-time service)?
- (5) How many listings do you currently have (beware of agents with too many listings who won't have personal time for your home sale)?
- (6) Do you have any office assistants (if so, will I be dealing with you or an assistant)?
- (7) What day of the week do you take off and which agent covers for you when you are gone?
- (8) Do you plan any vacation during my listing period?
- (9) Will you be able to sell my home within a 90-day listing period?
- (10) What is your sales-commission fee schedule
When the agents arrive (separately, of course)
be ready with a few basic questions.
Give extra points to the agent who arrives at your listing presentation with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) already completed. Give big bonus points to agents who have already scoped out your competition (other homes) in person. These agents are prepared to answer objections and are more likely to arrive at an asking price for your home that will sell the home and help you meet your goals.
Don't expect an instant evaluation of what your home will sell for. Give the agent a chance to look around the home.
The agent will ask you to sign a listing agreement. The length of the listing agreement should reflect the time it takes to sell a home in your area. Three to six months is not unusual. In slow markets, listing agreements are six months to a year.
Any reputable agent will allow you out of the contract if you are truly unhappy with his/her service or if your plans should change.
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