Here are some questions that you as a consumer might want to ask the agent that you hire to represent you.
1) How long have you been in the business? I started in real estate back in the pre-historic days. 1976 to be exact. Took a full year of business courses which included real estate sales and management. And, passed my exam and got my assigned desk in a brand-new office with several other brand-new agents. No computers in those days. No electronic keyboxes. No internet. We kept a black notebook and made changes to it on a daily basis. We toured all the new listings several times a week and attended mandatory weekly meetings, even though we were independent contractors.
2) Are you a REALTOR? I am a card carrying REALTOR, a member of the National Association of REALTORS, the Illinois Association of REALTORS and my local association, Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS (MORe). As REALTORS we subscribe to an ethical model to run our business. We are governed by many rules and regulations.
3) What certifications do you hold? I passed the Broker's exam in 1982. Then I started the classes to earn my Certified Residential Specialist designation, and received the award back in 1987 after 3 years of classes. I also took several classes toward my Graduate REALTOR Institute. And, then in 1998 I took the Accredited Buyer Representation course. And, most recently in 2005, I completed my course work for e-Pro, proving that I'm a certified internet expert. And, while I was taking these classes I was coached by the following people: Tommy Hopkins, Mike Ferry, Steve Shull, Matthew Ferry, Tom Ferry and Mark Strothers. I attended lots of seminars over the years, both learning and presenting and networking with agents all over the country.
4) What is your specialty? I really enjoy working in residential real estate. I started my career as a listing agent and now with the internet I've found that I'm working mostly with buyers. So, my experience in both sides of the business is vast.
5) Can I have a list of past customers? Yes…and you'll find testimonials on my websites with former clients' names right there. And, yes, they've agreed to have these made public. I've closed 900 sales at this point...and that's a lot of homes!
6) Who is your Broker? Can I call him? Of course you can call him. John Veneris-630-515-9500. And, please be sure to say why you're calling. I've worked with John for over 30 years. And, he's a great manager, in fact, he was Manager of the Year when we were at Re/Max many years ago.
7) Is this your full-time job? YES! I spend vast amounts of time previewing property; emailing information to clients; answering questions; showing homes; going to inspections; and solving problems. Full time...but I do take time off. Saturday nights are reserved.
8) What makes you different? I never thought you'd ask! I'm highly analytic. Really. Many of my clients are engineers, doctors, lawyers, teachers and scientists. And, I do have a very logical system as pertains to buying a house. I'm also good at negotiating. I don't get angry or upset. And, as I've seen so many "strange" things, that I can roll with the punches. This market that we're in, is a slow market, and many agents don't know how to work foreclosures, bank real estate owned or short sales. Time is a great teacher. I've seen interest rates as high as 18% in 1982, to a low of 4.5% back in 2005. A great agent adjusts to the market and educates her clients at the same time.
Any other questions? Add a comment.
© 2008 Move UP to Naperville Blog, Eileen Landau
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