Things to Ask When You're Interviewing Agents

How do you know that the agents you’re interviewing have the experience and expertise to sell your home quickly and for top dollar? I’ve compiled a list of questions to ask that will help you make the best decision.

Want to sell your home? Get a free home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

When looking to sell your home, the first step is finding an agent that will do the job well. I’ve compiled a list of questions you should remember to ask when interviewing agents so that you can make a better decision about who to go with: 1. How much experience do they have? You cannot replace experience—you can only gain it. Make sure you ask them how much experience they have in the business. 2. How many homes have they sold this year? How many homes have they sold in their entire career? This goes a long way to determining how successful they will be in selling your own home. 3. What is their list-to-sales ratio? You’re looking for a ratio that is very close. For example, you want to see a sales history where homes list at $1 million but sell for $999,000. The more of a distance between the list price and the sales price, the worse the ratio. 4. What is their average days on market? How long does it take to sell? The quicker the home sells, the better.

“

You cannot replace experience—you can only gain it.

”

5. Do they work with a team or individually? In this market, agents who work with teams are often the better choice because of the level of specialization among their members. Be sure to ask, “Do you have a team; if so, may we see it?” 6. Do they have any reviews? Look online for reviews and check out how they are positioned in the market. Are they ranked in your area? If not, why aren’t they? 7. What are their marketing strategies? Marketing is the key word. You don’t want an agent who does the “Three P’s:” put the sign in the yard, put it on the MLS, and pray. That is not a good marketing strategy and won’t get you top dollar for your home. 8. What are their marketing plan and budget? You can’t market to home if you don’t have the money to market it. Make sure that any agents you’re interviewing can share their strategy and budget for marketing your home. If you have any questions regarding this or any other real estate topic, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’d be happy to help!