Selling your home is an important and significant transaction. It is essential that you only enlist the services of a Realtor who will represent your best interests. As helpful as recommendations from friends and family might be, it is still necessary to probe deeper to find out why that particular agent is better than others. Sadly, most sellers wrongfully assume that high performing Realtors are much more expensive than the rest. You need to know that it costs you about as much money to work with a poor Realtor as it would when you hire an exceptional Realtor. Therefore, you should take your time to ensure that you are obtaining the best services that you can afford.
Interviewing a Realtor should be the first, and most important of the steps in the process. Unfortunately, most sellers just want to know how much they can make on their property; and how much it will cost to sell. Although these are among the major deciding factors, it is logical to find out whether or not the agent is capable of fulfilling her or his promises.
That being the case, you need to ask the right questions so as to be able to make the right decisions. The following are smart questions to ask a potential real estate agent:
How long have you been in the business?
Experience in real estate is paramount. More experienced Realtors outperform the rookies because of their in-depth knowledge of the market and accumulated skills for facing unexpected challenges. A top Anacortes Real Estate agent will have many years of built resources. These include lenders, builders, inspectors, roofers and more. Evaluate their track record to determine their level of experience by the number of transactions closed in the past 12 months or average days on market.
A real estate team is undoubtedly invaluable. A team of 3 Realtors can pool more resources, cover for another team member or process paperwork and coordinate the transaction while still on the move. A team will better serve and market a listing or represent a buyer.
What is your average list price to sales price ratio?
Obviously, sellers want top dollar for their homes, and the buyers are always looking for the lowest prices. A good Anacortes real estate agent should be able to sell your home at an amount that is as close as possible to the listing price. On the other hand, a skilled buyer’s agent is one that can significantly push down the buying price to ratios far below list price. Asking this question reduces the chances of enlisting the services of unscrupulous agents who, in a ploy to secure the contract, promise much more than your property’s market value only to beat you down later.
What will you do to market my home?
Your new Anacortes Real Estate Agent should prove to you that he or she can employ the adequate strategy to ensure that your property does not sit on the market for longer than necessary. They should be able to demonstrate how they will market it in both print and digital formats. There are many forms of digital platforms, make sure your property will be seen on all mobile devices.
The following are some questions a buyer should ask:
- The methods the agent intends to use to search for your new home.
- How easy, accurate and up to date will the listing come to me?
- Who will the Realtor be representing?
- What resources to lenders, inspectors, appraisers does the Realtor have?
- How knowledgeable is the Realtor with the area?
- Has the “Law of Agency Pamphlet” from the State of Washington been provided?
As a seller, here are some questions to ask an Anacortes Real Estate Agent:
- What marketing methods does the listing agent plan to employ to facilitate a faster sale.
- How active the Realtor is with digital marketing?
- Whether or not he or she will advertise your property, and if so, where.
- When will the sign go up and will you have a flyer box? Will it be maintained?
- What websites will my property be found on?
- Will my property have professional photography?
- Has the “Law of Agency Pamphlet” from the State of Washington been provided?
Do you have any references?
An Anacortes real estate agent should provide you with a list of resources in which you can find reviews, references, recommendations from past clients. This should be a part of their listing presentation and not something you should have to ask for.
A real estate agent’s profile should be easily found on various social sites. These sites include Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter as well as real estate sites such as Zillow, Realtor and Trulia. The agent should have full and accurate information on those sites and they should be easy to find and know they are a practicing Realtor. The content on those sites should be professional and pleasant. A quick Google search of an agent’s name can turn up a lot of information and demonstrate how active or inactive an agent is on the internet.
What are the top three things that separate you from your competition?
Good Realtors possess attributes that set them apart from their competitors. They establish characteristics that place them a niche higher than other agents. These qualities may differ from one specialist to the next, but a real professional should portray most of the following:
- Professionalism.
- Time consciousness.
- Assertiveness.
- Excellent negotiation skills.
- Availability and reliability.
- Friendliness and good people skills.
- Honesty and integrity.
May I review documents before I sign them?
The answer to this question must be a “yes.” Buying or selling a property is a binding, at times irreversible, transaction that may work against you if you do not take the necessary precautions. A good agent will always go out of his or her way to ensure that not only are you furnished with the relevant documents, but that you without a doubt understand the content therein.
As a buyer or a seller, you must be provided the “Law of Agency Pamphlet”. You should receive it shortly after starting your relationship with the real estate agent. Your realtor or real estate agent is required by law to provide you this pamphlet. In addition, this pamphlet created by the state is quite informative.
Do you have access to other professionals?
You should know who your Realtor is working with, and why he or she is doing so. Recognized agents are backed by several relevant professionals who work with them to expedite the whole process.
Your Realtor should have access to a number of different resources you will need.
- Local home Inspectors.
- Title and Escrow companies.
- Mortgage brokers and local lenders.
- Repair people and people of the trades
A good relationship with other professionals is an indication that the agent possesses a good work ethic. The Realtor cannot accept kickbacks from these outside resources. Feel assured they will only refer you to reliable resources.
What haven’t I asked that I need to know?
Look for the national trademark the Realtor “R” or the “Realtor” after their name. This is a trademark of the National Association of REALTORS. Licensed Realtors are held to a much higher standard of ethics. A real estate agent is not held to a code of ethics and has no ethical boundaries. It is important to know the difference when hiring your agent. A Realtor is more trustworthy, to say the least.
