Finding the “RIGHT” Realtor®!, Part 1

If you’re in the market to either sell your home or purchase one, there’s something you should know: Real Estate Agents Are NOT All The Same!

And as I mentioned in my previous blog post, not all real estate agents are Realtors®.  (I will cover the differences between Realtors® and real estate agents in a later post.)

Buying and/or selling a home is likely to be the largest transaction you will ever make on a single purchase.  The agent you hire can mean the difference between making money or losing money.  You want someone that is going to help you get the best for the least:  The best deal in the least amount of time with the least amount of stress!

Putting your house on the market is more than sticking a sign in the yard and holding an open house.  And buying a home requires more than looking at a couple house, making an offer and moving in. Unless you have experience interviewing people (and real estate agents in particular), you won’t always know what questions to ask.  Furthermore, you won’t always know what answer will best suit your needs for buying or selling.  So here are the first three of “12 Important Questions You Should Ask ANY Real Estate Professional BEFORE You Sign Anything”:

 

Question #1:  “How long have you been practicing real estate?”

Take it a step further by asking them to provide you with the number of transactions, average price range, specialized areas and types of homes they’ve bought or sold.  You also want to know how productive they’ve been each year.  You may find that an agent that has been in business for five years may be more productive than someone that has been in it for ten years!

You will also want to know how many brokers they have worked for, and if they have moved around, why?  You want an aggressive agent that is exceptionally focused, and someone that moves from company to company may lack that necessary focus if they are always transitioning from one company to the next.

 

Question #2:  “What qualifications do you have to sell real estate?”

This question looks for their overall commitment and dedication to building his/her personal skills.  If they’re not willing to commit to improving themselves, they may not commit to your needs and satisfaction either.

First, look at their overall education.  Did they go to college?  Do they have any professional designations, and if so, what are they?  How many continuing education hours are they required to have, and how many do they actually have?  (Do they only take classes because it is required, or do they take them to become more effective professionals?) Is he/she a Realtor® or a real estate agent? How often, and how, do they invest in improving their skills and keeping up with technology and other industry trends?

 

Question #3:  “How do you run your personal real estate operation?”

This is an open-ended question designed to get the agent talking about their business.  You want to know how much they’ve invested into their business as it relates to giving you competent and quality service.  For example, do they have an assistant to help with administrative tasks?  Do they have a cellular phone, iPad, email, or other methods for easily reaching them?  How do they communicate with their clients?  Phone, text, email?  (And what is YOUR preference----does it line up with theirs?) How OFTEN do they communicate with their clients, and for what reasons?  Do they have a private office with their brokerage or do they share office space with another agent? (This is a telltale sign of a top producing agent.)

Here’s what you’re looking for:  The more an agent invests into his or her own success, office, and systems, the more he/she will be able to commit to you.

 If you are ready to start interviewing for a Realtor® to work with, email me at jpugh@goldenkeyrealty.net or give me a call at 478-973-2684. (I will even provide you with the answers to the other nine questions we haven’t covered yet!)  I would love to meet with you!

In the next blog post, “Finding the “RIGHT” Realtor®!, Part 2” ” I will post the next 3 questions you might ask during the Realtor® interview to determine who to hire.