When I talk with prospective clients, I often ask how they plan to choose their real estate agent. Many times they have been recommended to me directly by someone they trust and don't plan to interview other agents. However, occasionally people hear about our team by googling ‘real estate expert in Boise’ or other such terms and don't have a personal connection with us.
Often people either aren’t sure how they’ll choose an agent or say it will depend on how much they like them. While I agree it's important to have good rapport and communication with your agent, it's also important to know they are competent and can help you sell your house for the highest price, or get you the dream home you've been looking for!
Below are some questions you can ask prospective agents to help determine how experienced and capable they are.
- How long have you been in residential real estate sales? Is it your full-time job?
- How many homes have you sold in your career?
- Are you a solo agent or do you work on a team?
- What type of support and supervision does your brokerage office provide to you?
- What’s your business philosophy?
- How long have you lived in the area? Can you provide detailed information to buyers about the community, schools, neighborhoods, parks, etc.?
- Can you recommend service providers who can help me obtain a mortgage, make home repairs, and help with other things I need done?
- Do you have the ability to pay for these items upfront and have me reimburse you at closing?
- What types of specific marketing systems an approaches will you use to sell my home?
- Will you hire a professional photographer to shoot my home?
- Do you provide a free consultation with a professional designer to help stage my home?
- How many days does it take you to sell the average home?
- How close to the initial asking prices of the homes you sold were the final sale prices?
- Could you please send me a link to the MLS listings for the three properties you sold most recently in our area?
- How will you keep me informed about the process of my transaction? How frequently?
- What are the top three things that separate you from your competition?
- What kind of guarantee do you offer?
- Could you please give me the names and phone numbers of your three most recent clients?
- What haven’t I asked that I need to know?
