Are you planning to hire a real estate agent to help you sell your home? If so, you will quickly find that there are several different agents available for you to select from. As a result, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by your options. By asking a few key questions, however, you will be able to quickly narrow down your options and find the agent that is right for you.
How Long Have You Been in the Real Estate Business?
While an agent who has just recently entered into the business can certainly do a great job for you, you will generally get better results when you hire someone who is experienced. At the same time, if you work with a new agent who has a competent mentor at his or her side, you may still get great results from the experience.
What is Your Average List-Price-to-Sales-Price Ratio?
If you are hiring a listing agent, you want to hire someone with a ratio as close to 100% as possible. This is because a ratio of 100% shows that the agent was able to sell the home at the price that the homeowner was asking. If you are hiring a buyer’s agent, on the other hand, you want to work with an agent with a low percentage. This is because a low percentage means the agent was able to negotiate a lower price for the people they represent.
What Types of Marketing Strategies will You Use to Meet My Needs?
Obviously, you will want to work with an agent who has a whole arsenal of marketing strategies available to his or her disposal. If you are working with a buyer’s agent, you will want to know things such as how many homes you are likely to see before you find the right one, how the agent intends to conduct a search, how the agent will handle competing offers and how you should present yourself to others. If you are the seller, you will want to know where and how the agent advertises, how the agent goes about setting up a direct mail campaign and how the agent conducts online marketing. You should also ask the agent to show you a sample flyer as well as other samples of the marketing strategies he or she will be using.
What Separates You from the Competition?
Asking an agent to describe his or her best qualities or to explain how he or she can provide a better service to you is a great way to learn more about what the agent brings to the table. Some traits that are typically desirable in an agent include honesty, trustworthiness, availability, solid communication skills, friendliness, assertiveness, excellent analytical skills and negotiation skills.
Can You Provide Me With References?
The easiest way to determine if a real estate agent is a true professional who gets the job done is to ask for references. Don’t just stop there, however, as it is easy for an unscrupulous agent to make up references. Be sure to contact the references and to ask them specific questions about their personal experiences with the real estate agent. This way, you can get a good feel about how the real estate agent and operates and you will also be able to better determine whether or not the reference is legitimate or is simply a friend or a relative who is serving a reference to the agent.
Jim Olenbush is the owner of an Austin real estate brokerage. http://www.jimolenbush.com/ He manages a team of experienced Austin Realtors and they specialize in the Steiner Ranch community. http://www.jimolenbush.com/steiner-ranch.htm
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