When you’re considering putting your house on the market, there are some questions you should ask a real estate agent before making the decision to hire them as your Realtor. These five questions will not only help you know and understand your agent, but they will also help create a dialogue that will help your agent understand you and your motivations to sell. Everyone is different and no two homes are the same, so talking with your agent and asking questions can help set the stage for a successful sale. And don’t forget, if your real estate agent isn’t asking you questions, you may want to think about hiring someone else.
The 5 Questions to Ask A Real Estate Agent
- How is the current housing market in the city and in my area and how will this impact me? Ok, maybe this is a bit sneaky, because it’s actually three questions in one, but they are all important and related. The national news may have top stories related to the housing market, but what may be a national trend may not hold true in your particular market at all. Even within the same city, trends for neighborhoods vary tremendously. Find an agent who can speak to those trends for your particular area. It’s this expertise that you will find invaluable when selling your home.
- What should I do to prepare my home for sale? Most agents are not professional stagers, but most good agents either have great contacts or have the experiences to support educated opinions about improving the show-readiness and marketability of your home. Often slight furniture repositioning, decluttering, and a few touch ups may be all that it takes. Other times more extensive projects or repairs may be recommended to increase the price you can list your home for.
- What specific things will you be doing to do to market my home? The answers you hear may vary, but what you’re looking for is someone with a plan. If an agent can readily speak to what he or she has in mind to promote your home, then they may already be ahead of the game. Real estate agents are in the business of sales and if they can’t tell you what their game plan is, how well do you think they are going to do when going to work for you?
- When can I expect to hear from you? Communication is absolutely paramount throughout the real estate buying and selling process. An agent who has your home listed won’t necessarily need to touch base with you every day unless something is happening, but you also don’t want to sign paperwork and never hear from them again. (Trust us, we’ve heard horror stories.) Once again, you may be looking for an agent who has already thought this through and has devised a strategy to meet your needs. Some people are naturally, and understandably, more nervous about the process of selling and need more frequent updates or reassurances. Other people find frequent contact more of a nuisance unless an offer is in hand. A great real estate agent will talk to you about your needs and expectations and work to create a plan that best suits you.
- Why are you in this business? Selling a home can be emotional, stressful, exciting, and rewarding – all at the same time. It is a large undertaking and when you hire an agent, you’re hiring an expert to guide you through the whole process with your finances on the line. You are looking to form a professional relationship with someone, so don’t be afraid to ask this kind of question to reveal the agent’s motivation, personality, history, and even work ethic. It’s not to say you have to pick someone with whom you will be the best of friends, but you do want to work with real estate agents Greensborough who you can feel comfortable communicating with honesty, whose advice you will trust, and who you know will work to be your advocate along the way.
Never be afraid to ask a real estate agent questions – the same applies to your lender, inspector, title company, insurance agent, surveyor…you name it. If someone doesn’t like you asking questions, there’s usually a reason for it and it’s not a good one. The better informed you are as a buyer or seller, the smoother the process will go.
image courtesy of Veronique Debord
My husband and I have been thinking about selling our home and so I’m really glad that you have listed off these five questions, because we are probably going to be talking to a real estate agent soon. I am especially glad that you mentioned asking about the things that will be done to market our home, because I think that the agent’s answer will really help us feel confident in their ability to help us out. However, how can we know whether or not their plan is good enough to sell our home?
What works in marketing will vary from place to place as well as price level (marketing a $100,000 and a $1,000,000 can require different tactics). It can also vary from agent to agent. Some agents are very successful with Facebook ads, others still do well with print ads. Things to look for? Syndication to real estate websites (you want your home to be listed where people are looking – the traffic to those websites vary by market), eye catching information inside the home (give people something to take with them so they remember the home), and word of mouth (does the agent or their office have the contacts to get people to see the home – for instance, if your home is near a local medical center and is in the upper end of the market, does the agent have the contacts with local doctors who may be the most likely purchaser of your home?). We also think professional photos are key (nothing worse than seeing a couple of hastily taken photos in the MLS – it turns buyers off before they’ve even looked at the home) and the data put into the MLS itself can make or break a sale. We see instances where the homes are hard to find because key searchable criteria hasn’t been entered into the MLS, so when agents are searching for homes for their clients, your home is not being returned in the search results. While not necessarily marketing, you also want to find an agent who will “give it to you straight” because you need to see the home in a different light when selling – being willing to change and perhaps stage rooms, paint or repair items, etc. to make them more attractive to a larger pool of buyers.
Remember, a buyer can see thousands of homes with ease thanks to the internet – and they can do it from the comfort of their own home at 3am in their pajamas. You need to make that first impression so that they’ll pick up the phone and call their agent and ask to see the home. People have busy lives and can’t possibly look at all the homes on the market – so your marketing has to give them a reason to do so. Don’t lose their interest before they even set foot in the door.
I like that you point out to ask the real estate agent why they are in the business. You want someone who knows what they are doing and loves what they are doing. Many times people just go into careers for the money. If this is the case, they may not be as helpful and friendly as they are only looking to make a profit for themselves. When someone loves what they are doing, most times they will be helpful and caring and do all they can for you! At least, that has been my experience.
Your question about what I should do to prepare my home for sale was very enlightening. Do most experienced real estate agents have certain things that they think will make a house more appealing? My brother wants to accept a job in a new city and it trying to get his house ready to sell. Hiring a real estate agent might be the best choice to help him prepare.
Derek – Since I know your comment was just an attempt to buy some SEO for a real estate agent’s website (via linkback), I have removed your link. Thanks for considering us as a key source for real estate information, but we really don’t like the dishonest attempts at garnering linkbacks through the use of meaningless comments. It’s a terrible SEO practice and one we’d like to see killed off. If the agent in question (Madeline Schaider in Marin County) would like to stop by and engage in some actual conversation about real estate, we invite her to do so.
I absolutely love questions 1! I am buying looking into buying a home but I still feel that it is a great question. For questions 2 I think I could say something like ‘what should I do to prepare to buy a home’. or something along those lines. What do you think?
Interesting – another comment for SEO purposes for a real estate agent in another market. Dear agents, stop paying these SEO companies for such false positives in your SEO marketing strategies. It’s lame. As usual, the comment remains, but we have removed the link. If Carol Annala wishes to drop by and talk real estate, we welcome her (and her link).
PS Your SEO marketers should have a better grasp of writing than some of the awfully put together stuff I’m seeing. I’m no Shakespeare, but at least try to write coherent sentences.
I want to sell my home as soon as I can. I just don’t know how to do it! I’ll have to try hiring a real estate agent. I’ll make sure that I ask them how I should prepare my home!
We always recommend talking to and hiring a real estate agent when selling your home. It can be a complex process and having someone who will be your advocate during the transaction and can help explain or guide you can save you time and money.
My agent recommended that I have an open house and that made all the difference in the world. It was a little stressful to prepare for it, but my agent talked me into and explained how it could benefit, we had an offer a week later. What a relief!
I like that you suggest to ask the realtor what their plan is to sell your house. I can see why this would be something that could be useful to know. It also helps you determine if they are the right realtor for you.
I really like your advice on talking to your real estate agent about what they are doing to market your home. I like the idea of knowing the specifics on what they are doing to sell your house. My husband and I are going to be moving soon, so I’ll be sure to remember that.
I’m planning on selling my home. It makes sense that I would want to get a good real estate agent so I can ask these things! That way I can ensure that I use every tactic possible to sell my home effectively.
I appreciate this information about the questions one should ask their real estate agent. It would be helpful to know the things you can do to prepare your home to sell. It is good to know that re-positioning the furniture and de-cluttering can make a big difference. My sister recently sold her home and said that her agent went the extra mile to make the home smell good.
Thanks for the help choosing a realtor. My wife and I really want to sell our house so we can move our family into something bigger. I like that you mentioned to ask what they think you should do to get your house ready to sell. That way, you can get good tips, and you can also gauge their knowledge and personality.
You said that real estate agents have a game plan. If I was going to hire a professional to help me I would want to know that they would be able to find the house that is right for me. It could be helpful to learn about different things that you like in a house when you are trying to buy one.
We find it’s best to start with some broad criteria – number of bedrooms, location, and price range for instance, and then start to whittle away at the lists from there with the smaller details. We also try and keep some of the criteria open – you may want a three bedroom, but perhaps a four bedroom is not out of the question. Agents also learn over time to pick up on some of the clues left in natural language and even some non-verbal cues. Not everyone can easily define what it is that they want, so a Realtors experience and knowledge of the trends in the market and what people need and want can make a lot of difference. That’s why we encourage homebuyers to get an agent invested in the process early on. While it’s easy to shop for homes at 2am in your pajamas, nothing compares to speaking to a real estate agent with years of experience who has spoken to clients from all walks of life at all different times in their lives. That kind of intuition and knowledge of the city you’re looking in can be indispensible.
My sister is currently in the market for her first home. She is looking for somebody that can help her give her some direction as to what is a good deal and what she should be looking for. I didn’t realize how important it is to find a real estate agent that communicates often to ensure he/she knows exactly how you’re feeling and you have direction throughout the process. I’ll be sure to tell my sister about this consideration.
I would recommend she read our post, “Am I Getting a Good Deal on This House?” for some ideas of how to look at the concept of a “good deal.” A good real estate agent is more than just a paper pusher when it comes to connecting with clients. A relationship is formed through the process and many often become friends for this very reason. Your agent should connect with you so that they can have a better understanding of what it is that you both need and want in your purchase. It takes time, but when a client and an agent truly click – it can be an amazing thing.
I loved when you talked bout asking real estate agents about their plan to market your home. It makes sense that asking about this can help you determine the creativity and dedication they have to you. I would want to find an agent that knows the market and is not afraid to educate me on what trends to look for to come out on top.
I think the article’s suggestion to ask how to prepare a home for sale was a really good one. My wife and I haven’t moved before, so we don’t have any experience with selling a home. I think hiring an agent that knows how we can make our home as appealing as possible would be extremely helpful in our case.
Asking why the real estate agent is in the real estate business is a really good question to ask when meeting with a real estate agent. As you said, this question opens up the ability to have a communicative professional relationship with. My husband and I will remember these questions when we start the selling process of our home.
My husband and I are wanting to sell our house, and we are in need of finding the right realtor to do so. It’s good to know that one thing we need to ask potential realtors, is what they believe we need to do to prepare our home. That way we know if we need to rearrange our furniture or hire stagers to come in and help us.
My husband and I have recently been interested in selling our house. It is so true that no two homes are the same. I had never thought about asking an agent why they’re in the business, but now I can see how beneficial that would be. I will definitely use these tips as we look into hiring a real estate agent for our home!
My husband and I are going to sell our home and have never done this before. I really appreciate that how you said a realtor should be able to give you ideas on how to improve marketability and get it show ready. I’m sure by having a well put together house, it will sell quicker, which is exactly what we want.
It can be a crowded marketplace, so it makes sense to put your best foot forward. Potential buyers want to be able to see themselves living in your home, so you want to give them the space to imagine what their lives would be like if they were to purchase your home. The more you can evoke those images in their minds, the better you can convey to them that this house is the one for them.
My wife and I are getting ready to sell our home and want to make sure we are ready to hire a real estate agent. I like that you recommend asking the agent why he or she is in the business. In my opinion, if we are putting so much money on the line, then I want to make sure I can communicate with the realtor and that they have my best interest in mind. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Derek. It’s a tough thing to do, choosing someone to represent you and your home through the selling process. Just remember, no two agents will do things exactly the same, but often there are more than one pathways to the same goal. Find someone who you’re comfortable with, that can answer your questions (or get you the answers), and knows the market in your local area.
This article was so helpful since it mentioned how to ask questions like what they agent will be doing to prepare my home for sale. I had never thought about asking the question but you mentioned that agents are usually not stagers and it is important to know how they are benefiting your home. This advice will go straight to my husband so we can discuss what we want to do for our property selling project.
We are big proponents of getting to know your agent. We’re all different and we all do business in different ways. While the core of what we do remains the same, one agent might be a better fit for you than another. We like the personal approach – sit with the potential agent for awhile and get to know them. While you’re interviewing them, they should be interviewing you just as much. You’re all going to be spending some time together and you’re entrusting them with a large part of your life, so it should follow that everyone feels comfortable, not just in the skills, but on a more personal level. And as we’ve discussed before, sometimes the skills aren’t fully developed, but that does not necessarily rule out an agent. We know plenty of brand new agents who do incredible work and at a company like ours, we spend a lot of time helping those agents in those early days so that they can hone those skills. An agent will never know everything, but if they have the team/staff/office/network behind them that does, they have all the skills they need at their disposal.
We are so proud of our daughter for graduating college and are happy for her to be buying her first home. She is wondering if she should seek help from a realtor to aid her in the process. It is good to know that one should ask a realtor when you can expect to hear from them. I like what was mentioned about how communication is absolutely paramount throughout the real estate buying and selling process. I will inform my daughter to form a communication plan with a realtor before hiring, thanks.
Without communication, we might as well buy our homes from robots or with a click of a button. Although we love technology, we think there will always be a human element in real estate because of the communication and need to understand the nuances of any given person – not everyone likes to be communicated with in the same manner. I for instance live by email and text, while others love in person or on the phone. Those differences can make a lot of difference in the process and a good agent will learn and take the lead from their clients.
My husband and I are looking to sell our home quickly so we can move for his new job and are looking for a great real estate agent to help us. I like your tip to make sure that the realtor you hire will have constant communication with us so we can understand what is going on with our home. I’ll make sure to ask the real estate agent about what kind of communication they plan to keep with us since we want to make sure our house is actually selling.
I’ve been looking at hiring a real estate agent to help me sell my home in the near future. I appreciated the questions you suggest I ask any potential agents before hiring them. I’ll definitely use your advice and ask about what specific plans an agent has to market my home successfully before hiring them for the job.
I like that you mentioned to ask an agent what specific things he or she will do to market your home. That way, you can know that they have a game plan and will be methodical about selling your home. My wife and I are trying to sell, and we want to find an agent who can help us get it done quickly. I will definitely remember to ask this as we look around, thanks a lot.
These are all solid tips! I recommend that getting an agent that has a lot of experience in the market should be your primary consideration. My sister sold her house and hired a newbie relator. It was a bad experience altogether. I agree that a buyer/seller should look for an agent who’s local or is familiar with the local market for they will know the local market’s movement and trends and could give you the best advice to your real estate needs. Cheers!
Thanks Kimberly Howell Properties! Those are 5 great questions everyone should be asking their real estate agent.
What is the best method to become a real estate investor? This question lingers in many people’s minds as they wonder whether it is really possible to reach the levels of some top moguls in the market today. Well, all you need is to understand the real estate and stay focused. It is that simple! Here is an outline of what will help you to become a real estate investor.
I like that you mention knowing what your expectations are. My sister is looking to hire a real estate agent but needs some tips. I’ll be sure to talk to her about knowing what she’ll be getting from each professional.
You made a great point in your article how hiring a real estate agent with good communication skills. I like to be kept in the loop about things, so this would be really important to me. What would be the most effective way for evaluating an agent’s communication skills?
These are some great tips for talking to a realtor when selling. I had never thought to ask what the agent will do to market our home, but that makes sense! We were hoping to sell our home next year, and marketing is something I hadn’t even considered. I’ll keep this in mind.
My wife and I have been wanting to move into a new home but we currently don’t know what to do to sell our current home. I liked that you had mentioned that it can be important to find a realtor that will be able to figure out exactly what will be needed to make sure that you can be fully prepared for people coming through the home. We’ll have to start looking for a realtor in the area that will be able to give decent advice about preparation for selling our home.
Hiring a good real estate agent makes a lot of sense. I like how you said to ask them how the market will affect us as we sell our home. I have no idea what the market will even do, so we should definitely find an agent to ask.
I’ve been looking for a good real estate agent, and I think that being able to get some information would be helpful. I’m glad you talked about asking an agent questions like what they will do to help market. I’m going to have to look for a few good options for real estate, and see what we can find!
It’s awesome that you talked about finding a real estate service that will communicate with you just enough for everything to work out. My older sister is looking to get into real estate with her husband and wants tips. I think I will talk to her about hiring a company with good communication skills.
Thanks for going over some questions that could be good to ask a real estate agent. I’m glad you explained to ask what they will be doing to market your home so you know what their game plan is. It seems like a good way to know what to expect and also know if there is anything you can do to help out as well.
Selling and buying a home can be a tricky ordeal and hard to organize. Having an agent who has a plan for your home like you said can be a game changer! Someone who is willing to understand your situation and best outcome will help you succeed out in the market. My wife and I are thinking about buying a home and I found a lot of valuable info here!
I like that you mentioned that clear communication is extremely important for you to have with your real estate agent. I think that buying or selling a new home is stressful, so having someone who understands everything you want and need is important. I think it’s great when the agent you hire is able to take the stress of your shoulders.
I think it is pretty great that one of the questions you ask in the article is about when you can expect to hear from the real estate agent. After all, a huge part of hiring a real estate agent involves making sure that they have great communication skills. This is important for making sure that they will keep you up to date on the sale or purchase of your home.
My wife and I are looking to sell our home soon, so I appreciated your tips. I like how you suggest asking the real estate agent what specific things they plan on doing to promote my home on the market for a quick sell. I’d definitely feel a lot more comfortable and in control if I’m kept in the loop about what techniques will be used to market my home.
This is some really good information about selling real estate. My sister has been thinking about selling her home soon. So, I liked that you pointed out that it would be smart for her to get it in a show ready state. That does seem like it would help her and the agent have an easier time selling it.
My sister will be selling their house because they plan to move into a bigger property by the end of this year. It appears that her husband got promoted, so they wanted to reward themselves by buying a property that they have always dreamed of. They will be hiring an agent to help them out with the selling process. To help them find a good one, I like that you mentioned that they should be able to inform their clients about the needs and expectations while creating a plan before selling the property. I will definitely share this with her. Thanks!
I really appreciate your tip to ask why a realtor is in the business. My wife and I have been thinking of moving into a new house so we can be closer to her parents. I will be sure to ask our realtor why they are in the business!
I like how you said that most agents are not professional stagers, but most good agents either have great contacts or have the experiences to support educated opinions about improving the show-readiness and marketability of your home. I am looking for a real estate agent to sell my home. Thank you for the tips on what sellers should ask real estate agents.
I’m wanting to sell my home here in the next few months. Now with that in mind, I do want to see about getting the help of a real estate agent. Of the five questions you have listed here, I think that asking them how you should prepare your home is a good one. That way, you can be sure that your home is appealing enough to be sold quickly and for a good price too!
I like your idea of asking real estate agents what specific things they’ll do to market our home so we can be confident that they have a plan of action. My husband and I want to move closer to his family, so we’ve been trying to find a real estate agent to help us sell our current home. It can be overwhelming trying to make a decision, so I’l definitely take your advice and ask potential agents about their plan of action!