How to Interview a Realtor When Selling a Home
One of the most important decisions you have to make when selling your home is choosing the right realtor. If you choose the right realtor to represent your property, your home will sell quickly and for the highest price.
1) Are you a full time real estate agent?
You don’t want someone who obtained their real estate license for fun or as a hobby, or has another full or part time job that they need to attend to. The agent listing your home needs to be able to show your property at any time of the day so you don’t lose out on potential buyers.
2) How do you plan on marketing my home?
This is extremely important because you don’t want an agent that will just take some cell phone photos, stick a sign in your yard and list the property on the MLS. A good Realtor will use professional photography and video to showcase your home, as well as a combination of both print and internet marketing strategies to attract potential buyers. Some examples include newspaper ads, mailers, email blasts, social media posts, targeted social media ads, common online websites such as Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com and Homes.com, as well as international real estate websites such as Caimeiju and Juwai which cater to buyers in China, and LuxuryRealEstate and PrestigeMLS, which cater to buyers in Europe and the Middle East.
3) Will you be holding public open houses as well as broker caravan tours?
Weekend open houses give buyers the flexibility to view the property when they are not at work, and some buyers are hesitant to call and schedule a viewing of a property if they are not 100% sold on the property after reading the description and looking at the photos, but would still come by the open house just to check it out. The more buyers you get through the door, the faster you will find a buyer. A crowded open house can also play on buyers' fears and motivate them to act quickly. In Los Angeles, we do weekly Tuesday Broker’s Caravan Tours, which gives agents a chance to preview new listings in their area and stay on top of the inventory, as well as pre-screen properties for their clients so that they only show their clients the homes that are the best fit for them.
4) How will you communicate with me and when is the best time to contact you.
A good agent should be willing to communicate with you in whatever method you prefer, whether it be email, phone, text, WeChat, WhatsApp, or in person. You should be able to reach your agent 24/7 and they should alway be quick to respond.
5) Do you have any references or reviews?
The best agents will have a website with positive reviews from past clientele. You can learn a lot about the way an agent conducts their business, their responsiveness, and their professionalism by reading their reviews.
These are the 5 most important questions to ask a real estate agent when interviewing them to list your home. If you choose the wrong agent, you will waste time and your listing will become stale, which will affect the ultimate sales price of your home. Even if you eventually hire another realtor, many buyers will not be interested in a home that has been re-listed several times with different realtors.
If you have any questions about how to pick the best Realtor to represent your home, you can contact me via phone/text at (310) 717-1321 or email at JamieTian@gmail.com.