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Smart Questions to ask the Realtors you are interviewing

By Bill Gassett

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Executive Realty 91362

July 02, 2007 11:41 AM

These questions will go along way in determining if you are going to hire a PRO or not!

1. How long have you been selling real estate?

2. How many homes did you sell last year as seller's agent?

3. Of the homes you sold last year, again as a seller's agent, what was the average number of days from the original list price to the accepted offer?

4. What was the average ratio between the listing price and the selling price?

5. What kind of market share do you and your company have?

6. Do you have a personal assistant?

7. What is your experience selling homes in my town?

8. Can you provide me with at least 3 recent references?

9. I have read the Internet is an extremely valuable tool. How will you market my home online?

10. Do you have your own personal website for marketing homes?

11. Do you have a Real Estate blog and if so is it ranked highly by Google?

12. When a buyer calls on my home will you ALWAYS be the one they speak with?

13. How will you communicate with me regarding your efforts?

14. How readily accessible will you be?

15. Once the offer is accepted will you be attending all the inspections?

16. How will you verify that the buyer is qualified to buy my home?

17. What are your fee structures and why?

18. WILL YOU ALLOW ME TO TERMINATE OUR AGREEMENT IF I AM NOT COMPLETELY SATISFIED?

Here is also a list of the top 10 mistakes to avoid when selling your Massachusetts home.

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About the Author: The above smart questions to ask the Realtors you are interviewing was provided by Bill RE/MAX Executive Realty Hopkinton Real Estate Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest Mass Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

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John Occhi

Excellence in Real Estate Tm @ Allison James Estates & Homes - San Jacinto, CA

ePRO, Five Star Certified, Riverside Cnty REO Expert, 951.443.6259

Bill - Welcome to Active Rain.

Your questions are well thought out - but I am not sure how relevant they all are. For example asking about last years statistics is as relevant as asking a base ball player how many touchdowns they scored last year - we are talking two completely different ball games here. 2007 will never be anything like 2006 - so why bring it up.

Also what is the relevance of your office market share. I guess if you are brand new to real estate and you have to ride the coattails of a mega-office to impress someone, that's fine. My office only has 8 active agents - but I have got to tell you that you take any other office and take their top 8 agents and stack them up to what we are doing and our little boutique office will rock your world. Not only are we successful with actual sales - we dominate the Internet in our community - we blow out every franchise with their million dollar websites - we are the best choice because we are small - so, you might want to consider the questions you are asking sellers to investigate - because I can almost guarantee there is a nice small outfit in your market that is not tied up with the bureaucracy of the mega office and the corporate structure and guidelines that come down from the flagpole.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Jul 02, 2007 12:10 PM

Bill Gassett

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA

Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

I would disagree with you John about your comment regarding past success not being relevant. When you are interviewing someone and I don't care what field you are talking about how can past success not be important? If you are having major surgery would you not want to know the doctors past success rate? How about a lawyers past defense record...how could this not be important?? Not sure what you meant either by 2006 being like 2007? If you are a very good agent you will do well no matter what the environment is. As a perfect example by all measures, last year was not considered a good year for real estate but believe it or not it was my 3rd best of my career and that spans 21+ years!

The reason why office market share is important is because it gives you an understanding of what the quality of the agents working for the company is. I don't know many educated consumers that would want to be involved with a company that doesn't do much business. In my market we don't have any small boutiques that dominate. My message says nothing about the size of a company anyway. There are always going to be small niche companies that do well. My point with this blog was to point out to consumers to do their homework on the agent they select.

Jul 02, 2007 12:29 PM

Everard Korthals

---Preferred Lifestyle Advisors--- - Lancaster, PA

Mountain Realty

HI BILL, just wanted to give you some props for this post which was your first it appears. It's worth reblogging. I'd like to do so with some additions if tha'ts ok with you. Keep up the good work as always!! :)

Nov 12, 2008 02:54 AM

Kerry Lucasse

eXp Realty - Urban Nest Real Estate Group - Atlanta, GA

Your Urban Nest Atlanta Real Estate Consultant

Great first post, Bill! I think that the big questions are what is your experience in this town / area, how will you communicate with me and how will you market my home. I also like the references option.

Nov 23, 2008 02:33 AM

Bill Gassett

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA

Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

Ray - Thanks for commenting on the smart questions to ask the Realtors you are interviewing. I guess it wasn't bad for the 1st blog post I ever created.

Kerry - Marketing online is very important along with good communication channels with the seller. Everyone deserves to be kept informed. There are times when there is not much to say but sometimes you need to make that call just to let them know that even though not much is happening you are working for them behind the scenes.

Nov 23, 2008 09:37 AM

Bill Gassett

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA

Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

David - Thanks for commenting on the smart questions to ask your Realtor. It kind of amazes me sometimes how little a home owner will actually "interview" an agent. Many times the seller gets so caught up in wanting to hear what the value of their home is they forget about everything else.

Jan 21, 2009 11:04 PM

Lee & Pamela St. Peter

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Realty: (919) 645-2522 - Raleigh, NC

Making Connections to Success in Real Estate

Good morning Bill, after reading Brad's post this morn on going back and reading some of our first posts and those of our friends, of course you know who was the first one I headed too! And you know what, I wasn't in the least surprised to find one very well written, good looking post - even your very first! It also made me smile reading the controversy discussions you started right out of the gate...

Well done Bill, and I for one am very glad to have met you here in the Rain...

P.S - I also noticed that you started with and still use the same tags today as you did over 3 years ago... fantastic!

Dec 19, 2010 01:22 AM

Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD

Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Just came here from a link from Barbara Todaro. I am sure that my recent seller read this post before interviewing me.

Jun 01, 2013 12:41 PM

Bill Gassett

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA

Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

Margaret this is an old post but good one none the less for sellers to follow.

Jun 01, 2013 09:42 PM

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