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1. Are
you a full-time professional Realtor®?
How long have you worked full time in real estate? What
professional designations do you have? |
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Knowing
whether or not your Realtor® practices real
estate on a full-time basis can give you a piece of the
puzzle in foreseeing scheduling conflicts and, overall, his
or her commitment to your transaction. As with any
profession, the number of years a person has been in the
business does not necessarily reflect the level of service
you can expect, but it is a good starting point for your
discussion. The same issue can apply to professional
designations. |
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2. Do you
have a personal assistant, team, or staff to handle
different parts of the sales transaction? What are their
names and how will each of them help me in my transaction?
How do I communicate with them? |
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It is not
uncommon for high real estate sales producers to hire people
to work for them or with them. They typically work on a
referral basis, and, as their businesses grow, they must be
able to deliver the same or higher quality service to more
clients.
You
may want to be clear about who on the team will take part in
your transaction, and what role each person will play. You
may even want to meet the other team members before you
decide to work with the team overall. If you needed help
with a certain part of your home sale, who should you talk
to and how would you communicate? If you have a question
about fees on your closing statement, who would handle that?
Who will show up to your closing? These are just a few of
the many important considerations in working with a team.
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3. Do you
and/or your company each have a website that will provide me
with useful information for research, services, and how you
work with buyers? Can I have those Web addresses now? |
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Many
homebuyers prefer to search online for homes and home buying
information. There are certain privacy and comfort levels
that you might appreciate in starting a preliminary search
this way, and often it is just a matter of convenience,
having 24-hour access to information. By searching the
Realtor®'s and the company's Web sites, you will
get a clear picture of how much work you would be able to
accomplish online, and whether or not that suits your
preferences. |
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4. How
will you keep in contact with me during the buying process,
and how often? |
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It's a
good idea for you to set your expectations reasonably in
accordance with how your Realtor® conducts
business. You may be looking for an agent to call, fax, or
email you every days to tell you about prospective buyers
who have seen your home. On the other hand, your Realtor®
may have access to systems that will notify you
automatically each time a new visitor tours your home (which
could happen several times a day or several times a week).
Asking this extra question can help you to reconcile your
needs with your Realtor®'s systems, which makes
for a far more satisfying relationship.
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5. Can
you explain one thing that you do that other agents don't do
that ensures I'm getting top dollar for my property? What is
your average market time versus other agents' average market
time? |
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Marketing skills are learned, and sometimes a real estate
professional's unique method of research and delivery make
the difference between whether or not a property sells
quickly. For example, an agent might research the
demographics of your neighborhood and present to you a
target market list for direct marketing purposes. |
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6. Will
you give me names of past clients who will give references
for you? |
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Interviewing a Realtor® to help you buy a home
can be very similar to interviewing someone to work in your
office. Contacting a Realtor®'s references can be
a reliable way for you to understand how he or she works,
and whether or not this style is compatible with your own. |
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7. Do you
have a performance guarantee? If I am not satisfied with
your performance, can I terminate our listing agreement? |
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Understand that, especially in the heavily regulated world
of real estate, it can be increasingly difficult for a
Realtor® to offer a performance guarantee. Sometimes you may
find a Realtor® who is willing to guarantee that if you are
dissatisfied in any way with their service they will
terminate your listing agreement. If your Realtor® does not
have a performance guarantee available in writing, it is not
an indication that he or she is not committed to perform.
Realtors® at Keller Williams Realty understand the
importance of win-win business relationships, and that the
Realtor® does not benefit if the client does not also
benefit. |
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8. How
will you get paid? How are your fees structured? May I have
that in writing? |
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This is
an issue that can also be related to agency. In many areas,
the seller still customarily pays all Realtor®
commissions through the listing broker. Sometimes, Realtors®
will have other small fees, such as administrative or
special service fees, that are charged to clients,
regardless of whether they are buying or selling. Be aware
of the big picture before you sign any agreements. Ask for
an estimate of costs from any agent you contemplate
employing.
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9. How
would you develop pricing and marketing strategies for our
home? Will you commit to the marketing strategy in writing? |
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Pricing a
home correctly is the single most important factor in
determining if a home sells quickly, or at all. Although
location and condition also effect the selling process,
price is a primary factor. Access to all current property
information is essential, and sometimes a pre-appraisal will
help. Ask your agent where he or she obtained the
information to create the market analysis, and whether your
agent included For Sale By Owner homes, foreclosed homes,
and bank-owned sales in that list. |
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10. What
will you do and what will you not do to sell my home? Who
determines where and when my home is marketed/ promoted? Who
pays for your advertising? |
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Ask your
real estate agent to present to you a clear marketing and
advertising budget, and how those dollars will be spent. Ask
if there are other forms of advertisement/marketing media
that are also available but not mentioned in the
budget/plan, and who pays for those. Request samples of the
various media that your agent proposes (such as Internet Web
sites, print magazines, and local publications). |
