Questions to Ask When Choosing a Real Estate Agent

Comments

• Gloria Durst says:

  May 10, 2017 10:47 am

  Checking how many homes a realtor has sold in the past year would seem to be really important. It would probably be important to also note where they have sold homes most because that would show their experience. My sister needs to sell her home because she is moving for her job so she'll have to find a realtor who has done plenty of business recently to help out.
• Orlando Commercial Realty says:

  May 09, 2017 11:42 am

  Finding the right property is not easy. You need the help of a professional. I think having a real estate agent will benefit home buyers a lot. The tips you provided is actually helpful. Thanks for sharing it here! By the way, if you have free time please visit us at http://www.retailsolutionsadvisors.com.
• Max says:

  May 09, 2017 06:50 am

  My wife and I have been looking to get a new home, and I think that working with a real estate agent would help us out a lot! I really liked your suggestion to ask how many days it usually takes to sell a home. A shorter time can mean that the agent knows the real estate market, but too short of a time could mean he's underpricing the home. Just like a lot of other things, I think there needs to be a happy medium!
• Olivia Nelson says:

  May 03, 2017 14:25 pm

  I agree that you need to consider how a realtor plans to represent you. It would make sense that you would want to find someone who represents you and not the seller because they would have your best interests at heart. I'm looking for a realtor to help me buy a new home so I'll have to find one that plans to represent me solely.
• Bernard Clyde says:

  April 25, 2017 09:42 am

  I agree that you want to find a real estate specialist who has a good ethical compass and earns your trust and confidence in them. I think it's also important to find someone who is easy for you to work with. That way, you'll be more comfortable asking some of these questions you've posed and they will be more able to give you the answers you need.
• John Mahoney says:

  April 21, 2017 12:00 pm

  I simply loved when you talked about asking a potential real estate agent about their certifications. It is important to remember that doing this can help you make sure you find someone who knows how to work with the market to your advantage. I can see how anyone wanting to work with an agent would want to take the time to plan ahead and shop around in order to make an educated decision.
• John Ferrell says:

  April 20, 2017 17:44 pm

  Thanks for saying that we need to be clear in knowing if our real estate agent has been paying attention. If I was going to hire a real estate agent I would want to make sure that they were doing what I needed. I'll need to ask someone that I trust for a reference when I am trying to find a real estate agent.
• John says:

  April 20, 2017 08:46 am

  I thought these were all great tips for choosing a real estate agent. I especially like how it suggest asking your agent what specific systems and approaches they'll take to sell your home. My wife and I are looking to buy a new home soon, so we'll be sure to fully understand what a real estate agent is willing to do to sell our home before hiring them.
• Ivy Baker says:

  April 12, 2017 18:43 pm

  Asking for the contact information for their past three clients does seem smart. It does seem like a good thing to ask about. I would want to know if they do a good job with the closing of a real estate purchase.
• Olivia Nelson says:

  March 13, 2017 13:48 pm

  I agree that you would want to find a realtor who has sold a lot of homes in the past year. It would seem that if you ask them about this number it could tell you how experienced and in demand they are. I'm looking for a real estate agent to help me sell my home after a divorce, so I'll have to find someone who has sold quite a few homes recently.
• Dave Anderson says:

  March 09, 2017 10:58 am

  I didn't realize that you could ask real estate brokers how many homes that they have sold and how successful they are. After hearing these questions, I definitely see how they can be very beneficial in finding someone that will help you to find the right house. Also, knowing the answers to those questions will help you to know how successful you will be if you choose to sell your house.
• John Mahoney says:

  March 03, 2017 15:27 pm

  Thank you for talking about choosing a real estate agent that has proper certifications. I can see how making sure you ask about this can help you get the help you need when looking for the house you want. It makes sense that asking several companies about this can help you find the one that can help you minimize stress and find what you are looking for and stay within budget.
• Ridley Fitzgerald says:

  March 03, 2017 13:52 pm

  I love the questions you have here for asking a real estate agent. My wife and I are hoping to sell our home soon, so we need to hire an agent. I didn't realize that an agent could represent the buyer as well, so that is good to know.
• EDcook Real Estate says:

  March 02, 2017 17:35 pm

  Reading this article that you made an excellent post. I think that your article will be helpful for us. It has been more info. Thanks for sharing this article.
• Burt Silver says:

  February 28, 2017 11:12 am

  I like that you mentioned to ask a potential real estate agent how much they sold in the last year. That way, you can get a good idea of how successful they are in the market. My wife and I have been looking for a real estate agent to help us sell our home. We want to get the best price possible, so we will definitely keep these tips in mind, thanks!
• Scott says:

  February 23, 2017 08:13 am

  I have been considering buying a house in the next year or so. Based upon what I have heard and read, I think it would be best to have an agent help me find the right house. I appreciate your tip on asking the agent how many days it will take them to sell or buy a certain house. I'll have to ask this to my agent when I start looking around.
• John Mahoney says:

  February 22, 2017 15:37 pm

  I hadn't thought about asking the real estate agent I choose about the marketing strategies they will use to help me. It makes sense that remembering this can help you find someone who has good connections and is capable of helping with your situation. I can see how anyone looking into this would want to make sure they find someone with experience and creativity.
• Leviticus Bennett says:

  February 22, 2017 13:05 pm

  I like your idea to check if you're being represented exclusively. I've also heard it's a good idea to check an agent's current listings before hiring. That way you can see how well an agent uses the internet and determine the strength of his or her online presence.
• Rachel Lannister says:

  February 14, 2017 14:31 pm

  I loved what you said about asking the real estate agent how long it usually takes them to sell a home. My friend needs to sell her home quickly, as she will be moving across the country in a few months. I'll be sure to relay this advice to her, as it could help her navigate her way to an agent who gets the job done quickly.
• Cindy Tesler says:

  February 08, 2017 11:22 am

  I agree that it's a good idea to choose a real estate agent that is able to tell you how many homes they sold this past year. You also said that you should ask them about their certifications that they hold. I think it's important to choose a real estate agent that has experience selling homes in the area that you're looking in.
• Tiffany Locke says:

  January 24, 2017 22:00 pm

  Finding out how your agent plans to market your home before they meet you seems like a good way to test their capabilities. I would imagine that doing your research on them and they're usual techniques would be a good way to start understanding how the real estate agent works. Finding someone who works with you seems like the best way to go.
• jresquival says:

  January 23, 2017 18:58 pm

  That's a good tip to ask them how long they've been a real estate agent. That way you can have a better idea of their experience and connections. I'll have to keep that in mind- I'm moving out of state for my new job.
• Marie Watson says:

  January 23, 2017 08:49 am

  Thanks for recommending some questions to ask when choosing a real estate agent. You make a good point about asking how many homes they sold the previous year. It makes sense that this will get them talking about past sales so you can gauge how they will do business with you. I am thinking about buying a new home, so I will have to look for realtors who I can interview.
• Annika Larson says:

  January 19, 2017 15:44 pm

  I'm looking at hiring a real estate agent to help me and my husband I with our next home upgrade, and these questions should be super helpful in finding someone that will really help us have the best experience possible. I hadn't even thought about asking the average about of time it takes for them to usually sell a home. Thank you for sharing these questions for finding the best real estate agent!
• John says:

  January 17, 2017 08:02 am

  I hadn't really considered before just how many questions you ought to be asking to choose a good real estate agent. Home buying/selling isn't something to take lightly, so it would be best to take the necessary steps to feel confident and secure in your decision. From the information presented in this article, I better understand what qualities make for a good agent, and why that agent can make a huge difference in your home buying process. I would really consider getting a real estate agent in my future home buying process!
• Ridley Fitzgerald says:

  January 12, 2017 14:25 pm

  These are some great tips for hiring a real estate agents. I like how you talked about asking them how many days it takes them to sell a home. That would be a humbling question, I think, and it would probably help.
• Sarah Smith says:

  January 12, 2017 08:42 am

  I'm planning on selling my house and need help. I like the advice you give about how a real estate agent should bring with them a copy of their performance numbers so that you can see how long it will take to sell your home. Another thing to do is to get an agent that you get along with, so that you will be more willing to listen to them.
• Tomas Killington says:

  January 11, 2017 05:39 am

  Having extra training to help customers is such a great thing to look for in a real estate agent. I have been looking at homes with my wife, and there are so many agents with different specialties. Looking for an agent that specializes in what we are looking for seems like a great benefit.
• Caden Dahl says:

  January 10, 2017 11:45 am

  I like how you mentioned the importance of experience when finding a real estate agent. I've decided that I want to purchase a house, and I'd like to find some good professional help to guide me through this process. Perhaps it would be a good idea to find someone who has been in the business for a while so they have a lot of personal experience.
• Jade Brunet says:

  January 03, 2017 09:26 am

  I was looking to know more about how to choose a real estate agent. It is good to know that one should ask potential realtors how long they have been in residential real estate. It would be nice to hire someone who is a full time agent. Another thing to look for would be to seek out a realtor who has good negotiation skills to save you time and money in the process.
• olivia nelson says:

  December 30, 2016 15:39 pm

  I agree that you need to ask a realtor how many homes they have sold in the last year. I would imagine that you would want to know this because it would show you how experienced they are. I'm looking for a real estate agent to help me sell my home so I'll have to ask how much business they have done in the last year.
• Shad Morris says:

  December 29, 2016 09:27 am

  Thank you for all these helpful questions to ask when you are looking for a real estate agent. It's nice to know that you should find out if they will represent you exclusively. I know that I would want to know if they are helping other people as well.
• Johnny McCarron says:

  December 28, 2016 14:20 pm

  I really like your advice to look for someone that has experience. You may have not said that straightforwardly, but you did say to look for their qualifications. I really think that is tied to the experience the agent has. Do you have any other tips about finding a good real estate agent?
• Marie Watson says:

  December 22, 2016 08:45 am

  Thanks for recommending some questions to ask a real estate agent before you hire them. I really like that you mention asking how they will keep you informed throughout the process. You make a good point about how communication is vital to building a good relationship with your agent. My husband and I are thinking about selling our home, so we will definitely have to keep that in mind when we are speaking with potential real estate agents.
• Troy Blackburn says:

  December 19, 2016 15:35 pm

  I like what you said about not feeling put out to market my house in addition to the realtor's efforts. I've heard that the majority of home sales that occur in this day and age are started by seeing a listing on social media. I've been looking for a home and wondering if I need a realtor, and these tips will come in handy in deciding!
• emily bennette says:

  December 16, 2016 18:36 pm

  Choosing a real estate agent can be difficult. It does seem like a good idea to hire someone with a lot of experience. I like that you pointed out that you need to make sure they do this as their full-time job.
• Tyler Meredith says:

  December 16, 2016 17:40 pm

  I like what this article recommends about asking what the average difference is between the initial price and the final price. It makes sense that it could be helpful to know what sort of price variation to expect because you could plan for it beforehand. It's something I'll have to remember for both buying and selling a house because I would know what sort of price that sellers are willing to settle for.
• Luke Smith says:

  December 12, 2016 12:04 pm

  Thanks for your advice to ask about how many days it typically takes them to sell a home. I would imagine that looking over an agent's past performance numbers would really help you to get an idea of what to expect from them in the future. I am sure that it would also be important to ask for referrals from family or friends.
• Jenna Hunter says:

  December 09, 2016 14:37 pm

  It was intriguing to find out how real estate agents will market a home! We are in need of a quick move with the relocation of my husband's job and all. So this is a top priority for us! We will be sure to ask!
• Elsa Anderson says:

  December 09, 2016 12:40 pm

  It's interesting how you suggest to ask a prospective real estate agent how long they have been in residential real estate and if its their full time job or not. If a real estate agent works full time, that means they are spending lots of hours learning new things every day. When I sell my house, I want a real estate that is always up to date on the latest techniques and tricks to sell a house, so this is something that I will definitely ask when I hire a real estate agent. Thanks for sharing!
• Scott says:

  December 07, 2016 16:04 pm

  I did ever think about whether or not the real estate agent is earning enough to pay their bills. I can see why this would be a good indicator of whether or not they are successful at what they do. I am looking into buying a house next summer. I'll definitely keep this in mind when I go to hire an professional.
• Olivia Nelson says:

  December 06, 2016 16:56 pm

  I like your idea on checking how long a realtor takes to sell a home. I would imagine that finding someone who sells homes quickly would be nice. I'm looking for a real estate agent to help me sell my home so I'll be sure to ask how long they take to sell a home.
• Gina Henrie says:

  December 01, 2016 11:21 am

  My son is going to buy his first house and I told him that he needs to look into getting a real estate agent. I did not know that a real estate agent has to take additional specialized training. That is nice because it will allow the agent to help in different circumstances depending on the situation. I think they are so beneficial to hire!
• Burt Silver says:

  November 30, 2016 07:26 am

  I have been considering putting my house on the market, but it is a daunting task. I am not sure of everything I need to take care of in order to make it happen, so I have decided to find a real estate agent. I like that you mentioned that you should find out if the agent will represent you alone, or if they might represent the buyer as well. That is important info to know.
• EDcook Real Estate says:

  November 27, 2016 17:42 pm

  This is one of the most informative information I've read. It really helps a lot. Thanks for sharing this and teaching some of Idea's
• Dennis Sanchez says:

  November 23, 2016 10:08 am

  You mentioned that trust and good communication were qualities that you should look for in a real estate agent. My mother wants to move from her old home to a smaller home closer to her close friend. I know that communication means a lot to my mother, and if she can't know what is going on all the time, she will instantly lose trust.
• Gina Henrie says:

  November 22, 2016 17:59 pm

  I am currently looking to hire a real estate agent because my family is wanting to move the beginning of next year. I really like the questions you have provided. I agree it is a good idea to work with someone who is successful enough to pay all of their bills off of it. I will make sure of that!
• Jen Pack says:

  November 17, 2016 22:10 pm

  My husband and I are looking to a buy a home in the coming year, so I appreciate this information. I really like the tip you give of looking for someone who will be able to tell you how many homes they sold the previous year. I could see myself forgetting to ask something like that if I was impressed when I met them, so I'll make sure I remember now. I imagine that in addition to learning how they did, that kind of openness would really impress me. I want an agent who is totally honest with me, so that could be a way to make sure they are.
• Kate Hansen says:

  November 04, 2016 17:00 pm

  I really like how you suggest to ask a prospective real estate agent that you interview a copy of their performance numbers for you to review. Numbers don't lie and if an agent has outstanding numbers, you might do better hiring them if they can help you sell or buy a house faster. I think it would also be helpful to ask them if being a real estate agent is their full time job or not so you know how devoted they are to the work.
• Cindy Tesler says:

  November 01, 2016 15:36 pm

  I liked your tip to ask the real estate agent if this is their full-time job, or if they mainly do this on the side. You also mention asking about whether or not they have any designations or certifications. I also think that you should choose a real estate agent that has sold plenty of homes in your area so that they have a good idea of fair prices for you.
• Shad Morris says:

  September 26, 2016 14:54 pm

  It's interesting that the real estate agent will typically bring a copy of their performance numbers for you to review. My friend was thinking about buying his own house, and wasn't sure why he would need an agent. I know that I would want to have someone that has gone through this before, and be able to get the most out of it.
• Lillian Schaeffer says:

  September 19, 2016 19:56 pm

  This is some great information, and I appreciate your suggestion to ask a real estate agent how long it takes them to sell a home. My husband got a good job offer, so we're moving in a few months on fairly short notice. We'll definitely look into finding a real estate agent that can help us sell our home quickly. Thanks for the great post!
• Olivia Nelson says:

  September 07, 2016 22:13 pm

  I appreciate your advice on checking if a realtor represents both the buyer and seller. I know that I would be more comfortable if I had a real estate agent who only represented me. My husband and I are looking to sell our home because he is being relocated to California for his job so when we find a realtor we'll have to be sure they only represent us.
• Maggie Allen says:

  September 07, 2016 16:22 pm

  I really like your point on asking the agent how long it usually takes them to sell a home. That can be a great way to see how efficient they are at setting up the home and using their resources. When looking at the agent's statistics, you can probably also see whether your home would be a good fit for the agent. After all, real estate agents tend to work with specific types of homes within a certain price range.