Selling your home is a big decision It’s likely the most significant investment you’ve ever made. You’ve probably been living in your home for years, creating many memories in the process – making this both a logical and emotional decision. A skilled Realtor will be able to assist you in navigating all of the obstacles and issues with your decision as you go through the process of listing your home. The only question is, how do you know what to look for when selecting an agent to sell your home? The answer? 10 Questions to Ask your Real Estate Agent When Selling

Top Question To Vet Potential Realtors

Any potential Realtor that you meet should be asked the following questions. The answers will give you a good idea of their experience level, their business personality, and allow you to form some important first impressions.

1) What Does Your Sales History Look Like?

You may think this is a little too direct, but remember this is someone you are considering hiring to handle your largest asset – and they will be paid handsomely for doing an excellent job. You have every right to know their track record and success level over the years.

Additionally, pay special attention to performance over the last 12 months. While there isn’t a reason to be alarmed if you find they have had some dry patches in their career, their performance over the last 12 months will be quite telling. In most instances, you can expect to have your property perform the same as other, similar properties, have under your Realtors’ portfolio in the last 12 months.

2) What Methods Do You Use To Determine Property Listing Prices?

You want to make sure that you are offered the highest price for your home a buyer is willing to pay. Any Realtor worth their salt will be ready to walk you through a CMA, or Comparative Market Analysis, to break down the valuation of your property in detail for you. You also want someone that will go to bat, and understand the vast negotiating games that are played on all sides during a real estate transaction. Pricing your home too high, will mean fewer (or no) offers – a waste of everyone’s time. On the flip side – pricing it too low – will mean you’re leaving thousands of dollars on the table.

3) Can You Give Me A Detailed Expense Estimate?

Since you are hiring them, you will be paying them, and you should know how much it will cost you before you decide. Some unscrupulous Realtors may try to get one over on unwitting clients by excluding closing costs on their initial price estimates.Ensure that any quotes you are given include the closing costs.

4) How Do You Earn Income?

Again, you may feel this is a little too direct and upfront. However, the way agent commissions are calculated will determine how they treat you. Now, that does not mean that they will treat you poorly necessarily because they make commissions off of you. Ideally, commissions incentivize your agent to perform their best  for their clients, but this is not always the case. Getting a break down of their fees and their commissions will give you an idea of where they will be putting their priorities.

5) How Would You Best Market My Property?

Asking about the techniques they use when marking properties allows you to gain insight into the thought processes behind the approach they will use to help sell your home. A seasoned real estate agent will have a multi-pronged approach to getting your home sold. With new techniques and marketing mediums being used every day it’s also an exciting way to learn about the process and exactly WHAT you’ll be paying for.

6) What Is The Best Way To Keep In Touch?

You do not want to be stuck in a situation where you’ve got a property in the process of being closed on, and you are suddenly unable to reach your agent. Most agents will have a personal cell phone and a business cell phone.If they are unwilling to give you a business cell phone number, you may want to look else-where. Business cell phones allow you to reach them whenever it’s essential, easily. Also make sure they’re willing to communicate the way you prefer.

7) How Quickly Do The Properties In Your Portfolio Move Off The Market?

As a homeowner, listing your home for sale for the first time can be a nerve-racking experience. Waiting for months with it on the market and not even getting an offer is even more likely to cause you to have distraught feelings. Having the Realtor give you realistic expectations before you list your property will alleviate some unnecessary anxiety. In many areas – 90-120 days or more is typical, in others, 3 days – it all depends on location, your specific home, and your collective expectations and pre-negotiation on listing prices. Selling a home can often take some time. There isn’t anything wrong with that.

8) Are There Any Previous Clients I Can Speak With Of Yours?

You asked earlier about their track record, but anything they told you requires you to take them at their word. Speaking with previous clients will give you the best glimpse of the public’s perception of the Realtor, and your possible experiences if you chose them to help sell your home.

9) Do You Have Any Advice For My Local Real Estate Market?

Each area will be a little bit different. The best Realtor to choose when marketing your property will have experience marketing in your local area. They will know the local market and demographics. Then use that to best draw the attention of qualified buyers to your house once it’s listed.

10) Do You Specialize in My Particular Community or Home Type?

Different properties have different needs. What works for a rural residential lot, is not going to work for a larger home in a nice gated community. Often times the best real estate agents have diversified experience, but also have existing experience in exactly the kind of property or community you’re in – make sure to ask them if that is the case and what they do specific to your situation.

Picking The Right Realtor: Closing The Deal Has Never Been Easier Some people have been terrified by horror stories told by their friends who had terrible experiences working with inexperienced or unethical Realtors when they tried to sell their home.Do not be dissuaded from a vocal minority’s history of bad experiences. As long as you know how to vet your Realtor, properly, before you commit, they can help make selling your home easier than ever.