I have a friend selling her house in California, and she must have said to me, at least five times, "I wish you could sell this house for me!"
I wish I could, too! But I'm a Washington real estate agent, not California.
The good news is I was able to help her understand a lot of what I consider to be Real Estate 101. But of course, she doesn't know the things I know. I've been doing this for over 21 years now. This is the very first home she's ever sold.
Here were some of her questions:
- Is it normal to have an agent come with the paperwork already filled out and expect you to sign right then?
- Is it normal to have a 6-month contract?
- Is it normal to pay both my agent AND the buyer's agent?
What she was really asking is, "Is this typical? Am I being taken advantage of? Can I trust this person?"
When you're dealing with an asset as expensive as a house, it makes perfect sense to wonder about those things.
So here is my tip for buyers and sellers: ASK.
Ask your questions of the agent you're thinking about hiring. (If you're looking for an agent to help sell your home, here are 12 questions I suggest you ask before choosing your agent.)
Ask friends and family members who have recently gone through what you're going through. (If someone last bought or sold a house before 2024, they can't answer the last question in that bullet list above accurately.)
Any agent worth their salt will not be upset by your questions, but will instead be glad you asked them.
- Cari
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