Don’t even think about listing your home!
Not until you ask 15 critical questions to qualify your potential agent!
Just knowing what to ask gives you the power to make an informed decision. And making an informed decision now will save you valuable time and precious equity. You may be surprised, even shocked, at the responses you will get.
Put yourself in the best possible position to sell your home. Hire the agent who will sell it, not just list it!
15 Critical Questions to Ask your Potential Realtor
1. Are you a full-time realtor? How many hours a week do you work on average?
“Yes” is the only answer you should accept and 40 hours per week is the bare minimum!
2. Do you work independently or do you have a team of specialists working together?
Most agents work alone. A rare few will actually have two or more assistants. Sheri Isaacs Real Estate Group consists of nine full time professionals.
3. Do you have a systemized Home Marketing Plan to represent and market my home in its best light?
Don’t just settle for a “yes”. Have the agent explain how their plan will work, and who will be implementing the plan.
4. What will you do to target market and create a competitive demand for my home?
The agent should have an idea of the target buyer for your home.
5. Other than the standard internet exposure(everyone is listed on over 300 websites, etc…) what additional technology will you utilize to market my home?
6. Do you hire a professional photographer to take high quality digital pictures and enhance the photos for use in marketing, as part of your standard fee?
Yes is the only answer you should hear – and ask to see examples.
7. Are you or is someone from your team always available to answer questions about my home and show my home?
With a team of professionals, you’re more likely to have your needs met sooner.
8. How often will I receive a comprehensive progress report that will show me where my home is being marketed and show me the feedback from the showing of my home?
Your agent should be proactively sending you updates – not waiting until you to call to respond to your inquiries. Sheri Isaacs Real Estate Group sends marketing and feedback reports to their clients real-time.
9. Do you have an effective system for following up on all the showings of my home?
Feedback from agents who have previewed or showed your home is invaluable. It gives you objective information as to how your home appears to the public. Your agent must be able to provide this information for you.
10. Do you have an aggressive plan for attracting buyers to my home?
Once again, don’t just settle for a “yes”. Make him or her explain it.
11. Do you have a transaction coordinator who will work on my file everyday and keep me updated until the close of escrow?
The escrow process is time-consuming and detail oriented. If your agent works alone, he or she may not have the time or energy to properly attend to your file, or keep you updated while in escrow. Sheri Isaacs’ group not only has a transaction coordinator, but a closing manager, following up daily on every detail of your escrow.
12. Will you provide me with the names and contact information of at least three recent clients?
Get this list and call them. Listen to what they have to say. Ask them what kind of service was provided, how long it took to sell their home, how frequently did the agent communicate with them, etc.
13. What is your list-to-sale ratio?
A low list-to-sale ratio indicates that the agent could not sell the house promptly or could not keep the client happy. Sheri’s list-to-sale ratio is over 95%.
14. How many homes did you sell in the past 12 months? How many homes did you sell in the past 3 months?
Sheri Isaacs Real Estate Group regularly sells over 50 homes each year.
15. Do you attend professional courses and seminars on a regular basis?
Agents who regularly attend such courses often learn things that other agents use in other markets. Keller Williams University was awarded the number one training organization in the world!
