Hiring the right Realtor to sell your home or investment property shouldn't be taken lightly - even if they have a loving quality like a rescue puppy. Not all real estate agents have the same level of experience, customer service, or a clear line of communication. This article will help you weed out the bad eggs, sour grapes, and steer you in the direction towards the real estate agent or broker best suited for the job of selling your real estate asset.
Ask your friends and family for referrals.
A good place to start would be asking people in your circle who you trust for referrals. Chances are you know someone who as either bought or sold property. When all else fails Google or
Yelp is there to help you. Do research and read the reviews posted by other people in your area who took the time to share their experiences working with local agents.
It's important you hire a local agent who works and preferably owns a home in the area you want to sell your property. The reason is simple, if the agent spends a significant amount of time in the neighborhood they know the neighborhood value.
Don't be afraid to test the real estate agent's knowledge.
How many listings do you have right now? This gives you a good idea if the agent you're interviewing is active or desperate for a listing.
What neighborhoods are your active listings in? If the agent has listings in several different parts of the city this could be a red flag that they aren't a neighborhood expert and you should reconsider working with them.
How many houses did you sell last year? This will give you a good snapshot of how active and successful the agent it. You want to work with someone who is successful for two reasons. The first, you want someone who can protect your money once in escrow - obviously, if they're closing a fair amount of business they're doing it right. And second, you don't want to work with someone that has to sell your house to put food on the table.
What is the ratio between your asking price and sold price? This will give you a good sense of if the agent is promising you the moon with a sales price which isn't likely.
Does the Realtor have a clear line of communication?
Before or after the interview follow up with the agent. Ask specific questions about the real estate market, sales process, or about their internal office protocol. If the agent is vague in their response or if they take more than a few hours to get back in touch with you, I'd stay away from that agent. You want to work with a
Realtor who is readily available for you 7 days a week with a clear line of communication and you can get in touch after business hours. Real estate is not a 9-5 job.
Don't mix friends or family with business.
Just because your Aunt Ruth or your neighbor's brother has a real estate licenses it doesn't mean they're the best Realtor to sell your home or even capable to handle the job. The best rule of thumb: If the agent has a day job or is a part-time Realtor run in the opposite direction because they are not the real estate agent to sell your house.
You'll most likely get what you pay for.
This brings us to our final tip. The discount agent or family member or family friend willing to work on a discount nine times out of ten isn't the best candidate for the job of selling your property for top dollar. I could get into dozens of scenarios of why this is a bad idea but think about this: If the agent is quick to give away their own money (their commission) how well will they negotiate to protect your money when selling your house? Just imagine what they must be saying behind closed doors to the other agent and how they'll give away the farm. Don't get cheap on yourself. Period.
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If you're interested in interviewing a local Realtor
Lets chat. I'm happy to help you find the best person for the job.
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