Lately there have been more and more stories about Realtors and Loan Officers taking advantage of people in the Orange County area, with “too good to be true” deals that end up making them lose thousands of dollars best case, and worst case, everything. While it is true these people are bad apples that need to be wiped clean from our industry, it is also true that information is power. Today we’d like to share ten questions with you that you should ask ANY Realtor® you are considering hiring to help you sell your home or buy a home.
Q: How long have you been in residential real estate sales? Is it your full-time job?
While experience is no guarantee of skill, real estate — like many other professions — is mostly learned on the job.
Q: What designations do you hold?
Designations such as GRI and CRS, are held by a small percentage of Realtors® in the industry. If you happen to be selling a unique property, or have a complex purchase, designations such as their might come in very handy, helping insure a smooth transaction.
Q: How many homes did you and your real estate brokerage sell last year?
Simply put, production equals experience. By asking this question, you’ll get a good idea of how much experience this person has.
Q: How many days does it take you to sell the average home?
Pricing your home correctly is a big factor in selling a home in a reasonable number of day. How this Realtors® average days on the market compares to the overall market is a good indicator of howthey do their homework, price their listings and prepare them for the market.
Q: How close were the final sale prices of the homes you sold to the initial asking prices?
This is another indication of how skilled the REALTOR® is at pricing homes and marketing to suitable buyers.
Q: What types of specific marketing systems and approaches will you use to sell my home?
You don’t want an uninvolved Real Estate Agent who only sees it their job to stick a sign in the lawn and wait. Look for someone who has aggressive and innovative approaches, and knows how to market your property competitively.
Q: Can you recommend service providers who can help me obtain a mortgage, make home repairs, and assist with other tasks?
Your Realtor® should be an invaluable resource for you, as you seek lenders, home improvement companies, and other home service providers. They should be able to recommend more than one provider and let you know if they have any special relationship with any of the providers.
Q: What’s your business philosophy?
While there’s no right answer to this question, remember that selling a home is a PERSONAL experience. Their response will help you assess what’s important to that agent and determine how closely the agent’s goals and business emphasis mesh with your own. While there is no right answer, there is a right feeling. If you have a strange feeling about them, they are not the Realtor® for you.
Q: How will you keep me informed about the progress of my transaction? How frequently?
You need to be sure the Realtor® is willing to meet your expectations. Do you want updates twice a week or do you prefer not to be bothered unless there’s a hot prospect? Do you prefer phone, e-mail, text, or an in-person visit?
Q: Could you please give me the names and phone numbers of your three most recent clients?
This is CRITICAL. Ask recent clients if they would work with this REALTOR® again. Find out what they were pleased with and what they wished went more smoothly. Find out if the Realtor® delivered as promised, and went above and beyond to ensure the client was happy.
There are of course many, many questions you can ask a prospective Realtor®, however this is a very solid, good start. Picking a Realtor® is a very important task that sets the tone for your entire Real Estate Transaction and whether it’s going to be successful or not.
We would love to talk with you and see if we can help you with your Real Estate Needs. Contact us anytime. We’d love to learn about your goals, and show you how we can help you achieve them, more easily than you ever imagined possible.
