7 Critical Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Real Estate Agent

Choosing the perfect real estate agent can be challenging. The last thing you want to add on to your home buying and selling process is to work with a terrible real estate agent. That is why we have put together a list of the best questions to ask when choosing which real estate agent to hire. 

1. How Long Have You Been A Full-Time Agent?

There are so many new agents in the real estate industry, and it is likely that the agent you talk to might not have a tone of experience. Now, it is important to note that experience isn’t everything. It doesn’t make one realtor better than another. But it does help to have history to indicate whether or not they can perform. The longer they have been in the business, the more knowledgeable they will be when it comes to navigating the process. Look for a realtor who has a good track record. It’s nice to find an agent with some experience under their belt.

2. How Many Homes Did You Sell Last Year?

The length of time they have been an agent doesn’t determine their success or hard work. The average agent sell around 6-12 homes per year. A top producer sells around 20 homes a year. Ask the agent to bring the data to the interview. You could have an agent that has been in the industry for 15 years but only sells two houses per year, or you could find an agent that has been working for three years, and sells 20 houses a year. Make sure you find an agent that can show results.

3. How Busy Are You?

You want to find a successful real estate agent who sells a lot of homes, but you still want them to have time for you. Find out how many clients they are working with at the current moment. Even if you find the best agent, if they are too busy, they won’t be able to provide you the service that they normally would. You want someone who can put your needs first, and have the time to answer your questions. 

Purchasing and selling a home is a long process that can take up to 120 days. The agent you choose needs to be there to represent you from the first qualifying steps until the end, when you get the keys to the house. But you also need to watch out for an agent without any other clients. The agent will have plenty of time to help you, but you are also his only source of income. This makes their motives harder to determine when helping you find a home.

4. Can You Provide References?

It is important to not only know the performance of an agent, but also how his past clients liked working with him. If he helped them sell fast but didn’t answer any of their questions, it could have been a bad experience for the clients. You want to find an agent that seeks to put you first, and you can see witnesses of this through his reviews and references. 

Ask for a list of people with their contact information. Make sure to actually contact them and get their testimonials. The more happy they are to provide you with this information, the more likely they have given their clients a great experience. Check on their website, broker’s website, and social media accounts for ratings and reviews. Read through them to make sure they are the right agent for your situation

5. How Will You Market My Home?

Marketing is a key factor in the length of time it takes to sell your home. Find out what kinds of marketing the agent will do for your property. Ask for their plans to go about selling your home, and some of the marketing strategies they will use. Some common things to use are high-definition photos, videos, print campaigns, and open houses. Agents may have an active or passive approach. Make sure to find one with an active one.

6. How Well Do You Communicate?

Communication is key, especially when it comes to buying and selling a house. Ask each agent you interview about their communication habits with their clients. See how often they call, text, or email back and forth, and which form of communication they prefer. Ask how quickly they tend to get questions answered when they don’t know the answer. Ask what their communication plan is and how flexible they are.

7. Why Should I Choose You?

Find out what they think sets them apart from other agents. What do they think they have that others don’t? Whether they’ve worked with clients in similar situations, or they live in the area you are buying in, the agent should have an edge on the competition. Choosing an agent to represent you is a huge decision, that should not be decided too quickly. Find a realtor that stands out in their area.

You deserve the best agent to represent you throughout the home buying process. But sometimes you have to do the work and research to find them. Here at Park Place Realty we focus on making the process of homeownership easy. If you are in the Chicago area you can reach out to us here, as we would love to be part of your experience. Email: Team@ParkPlaceRealtyLLC.com or call: 708.722.5106