Most real estate agents go to an appraisal armed with all the information they need to supply the owner of the property the data they require to come to an appraised price of their home.
One thing they forget is to bring information about themselves or their company as to why you are the best person to market and sell their property.
Lets face it most real estate agents offer the same services as all of the others maybe a small difference here and there but ultimately a successful sale at the best price for the owner is the most important factor when selling your home.
You want an agent who has the knowledge, experience, skills and professionalism to secure you the best price.
This is why you need to interview the salesman just like an employer interviews a prospective employee.
The astute seller should turn the appraisal into a job interview to ensure they are selecting the best person to sell their home.
When choosing the right real estate agent the questions you should ask are:
How long has the company you work for been selling homes in this location?
Is this a new company that has just moved to the area or is it a company that has many years experience in selling homes in your location? Do they know the area? An agent who is local and has been selling in that area over a long period can make a substantial difference in the selling of your home.
Are you a full time real estate agent?
Some real estate agents work only several days a week and treat it as a part time job to suit their needs and are happy with 1 maybe 2 sales per month.
This is NOT the person you want to sell your home. You want a full time active agent who can be contacted 7 days a week and goes above and beyond what a typical agent does.
Don’t forget you are entrusting the most valuable asset you own to this person to secure a successful sale. Ensure that they are going to do their best for you.
How long have you been selling properties for?
While this may not be a huge factor, most sellers would like to use a salesperson that has experience within the industry and has handled many negotiations in the past. Someone new to the industry may still have a lot to learn in the sales process.
How many properties have you listed in the past 6 months?
Most successful salespeople list a number of properties every month. If they are listing 1 or 2 a month then this is probably not the salesperson for you.
What is your list to sell ratio?
I believe this is an important factor in choosing your selling agent.
A successful agent would sell at least 90 % of what they list. If not they are losing sales to other agents. There is a reason for this and that is they are not able to sell the home within a desired time frame and for one reason or another the home owner is moving onto another real estate agent.
How many properties have you sold in the last 6 months?
This can vary greatly depending on the location of the agent however I would expect a top salesperson should sell at least an average of 3-4 sales per month.
Can you supply me with 3 recent testimonials from happy clients?
Most real estate agents ask for referrals the agent should keep several in their listing kit that you could read. Don’t just read them ask questions about the testimonials make sure they are genuine.
Why should I choose you instead of the other real estate agents?
This is a great question, if they cant answer this to your satisfaction then how could you expect them to sell your home for the best price.
Interviewing a real estate agent before committing to sign with them I believe is very important in selecting an agent that you will be happy with to sell your home.
Don’t feel bad for them if they don’t qualify.
Remember your interests come first, not theirs.
