A friend of mine in another state sent me a message on Facebook regarding real estate. He is in need of an agent and was seeking information as to what questions he should ask when interviewing agents.
What Does Google Say?
You would think that I could rattle off a host of questions off the top of my head, but I really had to take a moment to think about what questions would be really important to a consumer. If you Google questions to ask one of the first ones that comes up is "How long have you been in the business?" But for me, that's not the most important question. Longevity alone doesn't mean you're a good real estate agent and it doesn't mean you've done a lot of business or are knowledgeable. As I pondered a little longer I was able to come up with a few simple questions that you typically don't see on Google.
Full Time or Part Time?
Is the real estate agent full time or part time? Dual career real estate agents can be some of the most productive agents I've seen. They have a limited amount of time to work on their real estate business so they are usually excellent at time management. But for a buyer who wants a great deal of nurturing and attention they may not be the best match. Generally speaking, full time real estate agents are able to attend more training, see more properties and are more engaged in the changes happening in the market...remember I said "generally".
What's in It For Me?
You might have designations up one side and down the other, but if you aren't able to tell the consumer why they should work with you versus the hundreds or thousands of other agents out there, than you won't get their business. Consumers want to know what's in it for them? What benefits will they receive by working with you? I've found that many agents don't have a clue as to why someone should work with them. Although it's not a tough question, if you haven't given it any thought it could give you pause and plant a seed of doubt in the mind of the consumer.
How Many Clients Are You Working With?
By asking how many clients they are working with the consumer can get a pretty good idea as to how much time they will be able to spend with them. This is important to know if the consumer needs a lot of individual attention. Along those same lines it's good to ask if the agent is part of a team. Everyone likes to feel special, so if you have too many members of the team involved, the consumer can feel as though they are being "passed off" onto another person and not feeling connected with anyone.
Your Questions Please
What questions do you think consumers should ask before hiring a real estate agent?
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