Make
sure you choose a REALTOR® who will provide top-notch service and meet your
unique needs.
1. 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.
2. What designations
do you hold?
Designations such as GRI and CRS®, which require that agents take additional,
specialized real estate training, are held only by about one-quarter of real
estate practitioners.
3. How many homes did
you and your real estate brokerage sell last year? By asking this
question, you’ll get a good idea of how much experience the practitioner has.
4. How many days did
it take you to sell the average home? How did that compare to the overall
market? The REALTOR® you interview should have these
facts on hand, and be able to present market statistics from the local MLS to
provide a comparison.
5. How close to the
initial asking prices of the homes you sold were the final sale prices? This is one indication
of how skilled the REALTOR® is at pricing homes and marketing to suitable
buyers. Of course, other factors also may be at play, including an exceptionally
hot or cool real estate market.
6. What types of
specific marketing systems and approaches will you use to sell my home? You don’t want someone
who’s going to put a For Sale sign in the yard and hope for the best. Look for
someone who has aggressive and innovative approaches, and knows how to market
your property competitively on the Internet. Buyers today want information
fast, so it’s important that your REALTOR® is responsive.
7. Will you represent
me exclusively, or will you represent both the buyer and the seller in the
transaction?
While it’s usually legal to represent both parties in a transaction, it’s
important to understand where the practitioner’s obligations lie. Your REALTOR®
should explain his or her agency relationship to you and describe the rights of
each party.
8. Can you recommend
service providers who can help me obtain a mortgage, make home repairs, and
help with other things I need done? Because REALTORS® are immersed in the
industry, they’re wonderful resources as you seek lenders, home improvement
companies, and other home service providers. Practitioners should generally recommend
more than one provider and let you know if they have any special relationship
with or receive compensation from any of the providers.
9. What type of
support and supervision does your brokerage office provide to you? Having resources such
as in-house support staff, access to a real estate attorney, and assistance
with technology can help an agent sell your home.
10. What’s your
business philosophy?
While there’s no right answer to this question, the response will help you
assess what’s important to the agent and determine how closely the agent’s
goals and business emphasis mesh with your own.
11. How will you keep
me informed about the progress of my transaction? How frequently? Again, this is not a
question with a correct answer, but how you judge the response will reflect
your own desires. 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, or a
personal visit?
12. Could you please
give me the names and phone numbers of your three most recent clients? Ask recent clients if
they would work with this REALTOR® again. Find out whether they were pleased
with the communication style, follow-up, and work ethic of the REALTOR®.
Please call or email me when you're ready
to discuss your options or if you would like a valuation of your current home.
Nakia
Evans,
GRI, REALTOR
Associate Broker
Coldwell
Banker Residential Brokerage
22 W.
Padonia Avenue, Ste. A-100,
Timonium, MD 21093
Office
phone: 410.252.2111
Direct phone: 443-864-1358
Email:
nakiaevans@cbintouch.com
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Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are
registered service marks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker
Residential Brokerage is owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. If you have a
brokerage relationship with another agency, this is not intended as a
solicitation.
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