When you really sit down and think about it, entrusting your home sale with the right agent is a pretty crucial and far reaching decision.
Get it wrong and it can cost you dearly and could mean your home remains unsold, or doesn't realize its true market value.
To help you with the process, we thought it would be useful to let you know some of the things poorly performing agents don't want you to know about them. This should make you much better equipped in the realtor interview process.
A Poor Track Record - Let's start with the most likely thing the poor performer might want to conceal from you. Every agent has access to quite detailed performance statistics so the first thing you should want to know is exactly how his/her sales performance compares with the other agents you're interviewing. The average agent only sells around a handful of homes per year, and that is not what you should be seeking. You need to find a top producing realtor who is performing way above the norm. Never end an interview without this essential information and be sure the information provided is fully up to date.
A Part Time Agent - Do you really want an agent working for you when it fits in with other jobs? No, we thought not, and yet real estate is one of those businesses where many practitioners have a range of other calls on their time that contribute to their income. Selling your home, even in today's extremely positive market conditions, requires a fully committed effort to maximize your return. It's very likely that part time agents won't be able to demonstrate a first class track record of achievement, so make sure you ask what sort of time per day the agent actually works.
Poor Work Ethic - Moving on from the above point, you need to establish what is the agent's daily modus operandi. This needs to include several hours of prospecting on behalf of clients. If this doesn't occur, then one may reasonably question what the agent is doing for you, other than simply listing the property and hoping for the best. Top performers will be instantly able to demonstrate how they spend their time.
A Wafer Thin Contact Network - The best agents have built up a formidable contact network, consisting of past clients and others who can influence the sale of your home. They also should be spending time each day in communication with other agents, who may have a client looking for a home just like yours. Ask agents how they network and how many contacts they have in their database and, crucially, how they keep in touch with everyone.
No Marketing Plan - Every home seller should expect a comprehensive marketing plan that explains all the steps an agent will take to get their home sold. This should be a step-by-step process that should actually go a long way to answering a lot of the questions we've already suggested that you pose in interviews. Agents should be using every possible tactic to represent you and the more thorough the marketing plan, the more likely you've found the right person.
Little or No Online Presence - As most home searches start online these days, agents who can't demonstrate a thorough knowledge and use of online tools should be treated with considerable skepticism. Does the agent have a website and, equally importantly these days, does the website work well on mobile devices, as so many buyers use phones, tablets etc. Does the agent maintain a blog like this to help impart advice to clients and what about use of social networks? The best agents will come to the interview with all of this evidence ready for you to inspect.
Lack of Testimonials - Delighted clients are often more than happy to write a "thank you" note when the agent has done a good job for them, usually in the form of a written testimonial that the agent is able to share with new potential clients. Any reluctance or inability to produce testimonials kind of tells its own story.
No Ongoing Professional Training - Real estate is an exceptionally dynamic business and agents need to stay ahead of the curve in terms of keeping up to date with legislation and also continual training in better sales and marketing techniques. Top producers will have a full training program always in place - ask to see it.
Poor Customer Support Throughout The Sale - Apart from listing and marketing your home, your agent should be advising you in negotiations and also guiding you right through the entire process to closing, and beyond. Make sure that the agent tells you all about their ongoing customer support standards - testimonials usually say much about this too.
Lack of a Mission Statement - We think clients should always be pleased when an agent tells them all about his/her mission statement. This should encompass all of the aspects we've already discussed in this blog and give you a better sense of the way the agent thinks and operates. To give you some measure of this, please click here to read our mission, vision, values, belief and perspective statement.
In conclusion, we hope the above points illustrate the sort of information you need to extract from an agent in the comparative selection process. We'd be happy to be put to this test, so why not call us today to arrange a meeting.
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