"It's critical that you make the right decision about who will handle what isprobably the single largest financial investment you will ever make."

Not all real estate agents are the same. If you decide to seek the help of an agent

when selling or buying your home, you need some good information before you

make any moves. Below are some specific questions you should ask to ensure that

you get the best representation for your needs. Some agents may prefer that

you don't ask these questions, because the knowledge you'll gain from their

honest answers will give you a very good idea about what outcome you can expect

from using this agent. Let's face it - in real estate, as in life - not all things are

created equal.

Hiring a real estate agent is just like any hiring process - with you on the boss's

side of the desk. It's critical that you make the right decision about who will

handle what is probably the single largest financial investment you will ever make.

1. What makes you different? Why should I list my home with

you?

It's a much tougher real estate market than it was a decade ago. What unique

marketing plans and programs does this agent have in place to make sure that

your home stands out favorably versus other competing homes? What things

does this agent offer you that others don't to help you sell your home in the

least amount of time with the least amount of hassle and for the most amount

of money?

2. What is your company's track record and reputation in the

market place?

It may seem like everywhere you look, real estate agents are boasting about

being number one for this or that, or quoting you the number of homes they've

sold. If you're like many homeowners, you've probably become immune to

much of this information. After all, you ask, "Why should I care about how

many homes one agent sold over another? The only thing I care about is

whether they can sell my home quickly for the most amount of money."

Well, because you want your home sold fast and for top dollar, you should be

asking the agents you interview how many homes they have sold. I'm sure you

will agree that success in real estate is selling homes. If one agent is selling a

lot of homes where another is selling only a handful, ask yourself why

this might be. What things are these two agents doing differently?

You may be surprised to know that many agents sell fewer than 10 homes a

year. This volume makes it difficult for them to do full impact marketing on

your home, because they can't raise the money it takes to afford the

advertising and special programs to give your home a high profile. Also, at this

low level, they probably can't afford to hire an assistant, which means that

they're running around trying to do all the components of the job themselves,

which means service may suffer.

3. What are your marketing plans for my home?

How much money does this agent spend in advertising the homes s/he lists

versus the other agents you are interviewing? In what media avenues does this

agent advertise? What does s/he know about the effectiveness of one medium

over the other?

4. What has your company sold in my area?

Agents should bring you a complete listing of both their own and other

comparable sales in your area.

5. Does your broker control your advertising or do you?

If your agent is not in control of their own advertising, then your home will be

competing for advertising space not only with this agent's other listings, but

also with the listings of every other agent in the brokerage.

6. On average, when your listings sell, how close is the selling

price to the asking price?

This information is available from the Real Estate Board. Is this agent's

performance higher or lower than the board average? Their performance on this

measurement will help you predict how high a price you will get for the sale of

your home.

7. On average, how long does it take for your listings to sell?

This information is also available from the Real Estate Board. Does this agent

tend to sell faster or slower than the board average? Their performance on this

measurement will help you predict how long your home will be on the market

before it sells.

8. How many buyers are you currently working with?

Obviously, the more buyers your agent is working with, the better your chances

are of selling your home quickly. It will also impact price because an agent with

many buyers can set up an auction-like atmosphere where many buyers bid on

your home at the same time. Ask them to describe the system they have for

attracting buyers.

9. Do you have a reference list of clients I could contact?

Ask to see this list, and then proceed to spot check some of the names.

10.What happens if I'm not happy with the job you are doing to

get my home sold?

Can I cancel my listing contract? Be wary of agents that lock you into a lengthy

listing contract which they can get out of (by ceasing to effectively market your

home) but you can't. There are usually penalties and broker protection periods

which safeguard the agent's interests, but not yours. How confident is your

agent in the service s/he will provide you? Will s/he allow you to cancel your

contract without penalty if you're not satisfied with the service provided?

Evaluate each agent's responses to these 10 questions carefully and

objectively. Who will do the best job for you? These questions will help

you decide.

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