Selecting a realtor comes down to who you have the right feel working with. However, it’s smart to begin your search with people who are experienced, but also experienced locally. That means they have been part of deals for all types of real estate in your area or the area you are interested in. Local knowledge offers an amazing amount of benefits to you as a buyer or seller.
One of the biggest mistakes people make in real estate transactions is that they either do not hire a realtor or they do not interview realtors first before making a selection. You should always have questions to ask. If you are buying, you need to know what they can do to help you not only find the property you want but also get a great deal on it. How do they plan to manage a seller and their realtor on your behalf and so forth? If you are selling, that creates an entirely different set of questions.
Interview Questions When Selecting Your Realtor
When you are preparing to sell your home and you are looking for a realtor, you are going to interview someone who is going to want to look through the property to get an idea of what they are selling and what the listing price should be. These are examples of topics you can also ask about once they’ve had an opportunity to review the property. Once they have done a walkthrough ask them:
- What are 5 things you would fix on my house? A simple but important question. As the realtor walks around the property they should notice things that need to be addressed. It may be cleaning the carport or replacing an old sink in one of the bathrooms. Ask them for their honest opinion and give them information to consider like your budget and timeframe. They can give you some recommendations that may offer a great deal of help.
- What should we list my house for? You really need to know this after they walk through your property because it’s going to tell you how familiar they really are with local real estate. For example, if all the properties in your neighborhood are selling in the 500,000’s and a realtor recommends you list for 700,000, then you know they are not as experienced locally as they told you.
- What is the demand looking like in this area? You see houses for sale but you do not know if they are closing, coming close or what. You are just seeing signs in their front yards for months and you have no idea if these other sellers are getting real offers or not.
- What should I list it for if I need to sell within 3 months? If you need to sell quickly you need to discuss it with your realtor. Too often someone wants to price out their house ready to move but they want to get top value as well. It’s understandable but you cannot always have it both ways. In a slower market this, you cannot expect to get top price within a week or two. You have to be patient. However, if you need to sell quickly, ask your realtor what that price may look like and if it’s worth it.
Your realtor will give you their recommendations but you determine the strategy and make the final decisions. Rely on their experience, especially when it comes to communication with the potential buyers. They can tell you what looks like a legitimate offer and what is a waste of your time.
