When the time comes to list your home for sale, most sellers have but two questions for the potential real estate agent: How much will they get for the property and what will the commission be? Sadly, that is the extent of most sellers’ questions and many will hire the first agent they meet, according to data supplied from the National Association of Realtors. I find this very disturbing in light of the fact that for most people, their home sale is still the single largest financial transaction they will make during the course of their lifetime.
Selling a home is a very big deal and sellers should probe deeper to compare what makes one agent different from another. To assist you in that comparison, We at Hamilton Realty Group of Carolinas Connect Realty have complied a list of the five MUST ASK questions that at a minimum, you should be asking your prospective real estate agent.
- What’s your experience?
It may sound like an obvious place to start, but much to my surprise many sellers don’t ask potential agents about their job experience. Unfortunately, many people ask more questions when getting their hair cut than when listing their home. In today’s competitive real estate market experience matters.
- Do you work full time or part- time as a real estate agent?
It amazes me how many people miss this question and end up working with an agent that works only part-time in the business or worse yet, treats real estate as a hobby! Would you hire a part-time heart surgeon? Of course you wouldn’t. So why settle for any agent that isn’t working full time to sell your home?
- What is your marketing and advertising plan for my home?
Gone are the days of sticking a sign in the yard and hoping and praying the property will sell. If you don’t market the home, it won’t sell. If you don’t ask how the agent plans to market your home, you’re not doing proper due diligence. Sellers really need to ask agents for a detailed plan on how they will market their home to the greatest amount of potential buyers.
- At what price do you think my house will sell in the current market? What is my net?
Folks, this is the most important part of selling a home for top dollar in the quickest time. It doesn’t matter how much marketing an agent does on your home if they don’t spend the time pricing it right, based on current market conditions. I have always said, 90% of the marketing is done when we price the home for sale. If the agent can’t show you detailed, factual information and doesn’t prepare a detailed net sheet showing what you will walk away from the sale with based on the market conditions, you need to keep looking for another agent.
- How will you communicate with me and how often?
As a seller, you deserve frequent communication. It’s important to know up front the expectations for frequency and form of communication. Do you prefer phone, email or text communications? Knowing this information upfront will take away most of the stress and anxiety that happens during the home sale process.
In conclusion, my hope is that you use these questions to make better decisions on the choice you make when selling your home. There are many more questions that may be involved in your personal decision, but these are the most crucial ones to make sure you are getting the right agent for the job. If you have any other real estate related questions or if we can be of any help to you in the selling or buying process, please just give Hamilton Realty Group of Carolinas Connect Realty a call. We are here to help.
Reach out to Carolinas Connect Realty TODAY! (910)218-1300 or https://hamiltonrealtygroupnc.com.
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With years of experience helping local buyers and sellers just like yourself, Jack and Dana Hamilton of Hamilton Realty Group of Carolinas Connect Realty know how to locate the finest properties and negotiate the best deals. It’s our job to know about the latest market conditions, government regulations, and upcoming developments — so that you don’t have to.
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