questions to ask when interviewing listing agents

any advice?

Re: questions to ask when interviewing listing agents

The main job of the listing agent is to be the project manager of your sale, handling all aspects from marketing the listing, to getting feedback on showings, to negotiating offers, and then overseeing the necessary inspections, appraisals, disclosures, communicating with the banks, attorneys, etc.

So I would ask questions about:

1) The marketing plan (and see if the agent will put it in writing);

2) Communication (how often will you be hearing from the listing agent, and how will you be contacted);

3) Experience/knowledge - You probably want to find out how long the agent has been in real estate, how many homes he/she has sold, knowledge of the area;

4) How will showings work? Are they set up through the agent's office, or will the agent contact you directly to schedule them? Does the agent plan to do open houses? Why or why not?

5) I like to go over the overall sales process with potential sellers, so they understand what steps will be involved. So you might want to ask about that.

6) Pricing - What is the agent's opinion of your home's current value, and how did he/she come to that conclusion?

7) Fee - You will want to find out what the agent will charge you as a service fee/commission if you decide to use that agent.

8) What sets the agent apart from other agents? What does he/she think is their strongest asset as an agent.

9) Are they a full-time agent or part-time? I think it's really important to find a full-time agent who can devote the necessary time to servicing your listing and overseeing the sale process.

10) Are they willing to provide references to previous clients, in case you want to hear from another seller who has dealt with this agent?

I also think, beyond what you ask the agent, it's important to focus on what the agent asks you. I always try to get a sense of what the potential client wants and expects, because I am always evaluating if I think I am the right person for the listing. For example, if the client doesn't want to be or can't be realistic about pricing, then I would probably choose not to take the listing, even if they wanted to give it to me. Also, knowing the client's goals (e.g., they want to be in a new house before their baby is born) helps me give the best advice that is tailored to their situation. The agent should also ask questions when looking at the home (about when updates were done, about whether all C/Os are in place, etc.).

It's important to focus on the overall impression - does the agent seem professional? Is this someone who you want to represent you in the sale of your home? Did they come prepared for your meeting? Are they asking questions of you or just giving a canned generic presentation? Do they seem knowledgeable about the process, the market, etc.

Good luck! Hope you find a great agent. If you feel comfortable sharing, where (or what general area) is your home located?

questions to ask when interviewing listing agents

I agree with everything Christine says. In addition, I would suggest you find out the following:

1. Does the agent plan on having an open house? If so, how many and how often (this will likely be covered in the marketing plan Christine mentioned as #1). What is that agent's procedure for open houses? For example, some agents open the door and let buyers come in and walk around. Other agents escort each buyer individually through the house. You have to decide what you are most comfortable with. If the agent only lets in one set of buyers at a time, how do they handle multiple buyers arriving at the same time.

2. What, if anything, does your agent do to ascertain the qualifications of buyers? As your agent will likely explain to you, there are pre-qualifications and pre-approvals. Pre- qualifications are generally based on verbal statements made by the buyer with little to no confirmation by the broker. As a seller, you will probably want a pre-approval, where the buyer makes representations and then the mortgage broker or lender pulls the credit score and does some background due diligence.

However, a really great agent will go a step beyond and call the mortgage broker to get more information. Because of privacy concerns, the broker will not be able to tell the agent much, but if the agent has a relationship with the broker, the broker may give general ranges to help an agent determine the creditworthiness of a particular buyer. It can be really frustrating to sign contracts with a buyer, take your home off the market, only to find out that the buyer was borderline on the credit and was not approved for the mortgage. Of course, life happens and there could always be some unexpected development, such as a loss of a job, that will cause a buyer not to qualify for a mortgage after the contracts are signed. There is no way to control that, but a really great agent will do their best to get as much information and do as much as possible to make sure the deal gets to the closing table.

Re: questions to ask when interviewing listing agents

Re: questions to ask when interviewing listing agents

awww thank you so much

I wil say - I answer all these questions with my presentation- I would expect any top agent to leave you with very little questions!