Important Questions to Ask When Hiring A Realtor

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remax ingrid williams adDes Moines Moms Blog is honored to share today’s post from Ingrid Wililams, Realtor for Re/Max:

Des Moines Moms Blog is thrilled to have Ingrid as a regular sponsor! She has helped several of our DMMB families buy or sell a home and is highly recommended by those families. We are so blessed to have her expertise and ongoing partnership. 

Finding The Right Agent

When hiring a real estate agent not all agents are the same. Take the time to find the right agent. Buying a house can be intimidating; selling a house may as equally so. A Real estate agent is there to guide you through the processes.

If you are buying or selling be sure to interview your agent before you sign a contract.

Here are some important questions to use when you interview an agent:

1. How long have you been licensed as an agent?

Be sure your agent is a licensed agent and ask about his/her professional experience. You should choose a agent that has been anagent for at least five years.

2. How many homes did you sell last year and what is your average sales price? How close to list price is your average sales price?

sold ingrid williamsAsk your agent about his/her experience helping people buy and sell homes.  If you are hiring a realtor to sell a home, you should also ask about the average amount of time between the listing and sale and how close to the list price their average sale is.

3. How many buyers and sellers are you currently working with?

Look for an agent that works with a few clients at a time, but not so many that he or she won’t have enough time for you.  If you are buying, it is important to use your own agent not the listing agent. Communication is important throughout the process a good agent will guide you through each step.

4. What is your agent’s marketing plan?

Look the agent up or Trulia and Zillow. Check out their reviews and look at their listings. Do they look they way you want your home to be presented to potential buyers? Most buyers start their search on the internet so you want to be sure your agent has good internet presence.

5. What are your fees and commission structure?

Most real estate agents work on commissions from the sale. When your sell your home, you pay a real estate agent a commission. This listing agent’s commission is usually is  6% or 7% of the sale price. The listing agent then shares her commission with the buyer’s agent.  Cheaper may not be better: A low priced agent may not work as hard to help you find the best home. Or, if selling they may not achieve the highest sales price. A good agent knows how to market your home and is a skilled negotiator.

Shop and compare real estate agents. Interview at least two. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about his/her services and sales. A good agent will understand your concerns and take the time to answer. Knowing that relationships start at the beginning, if they are not willing to answer and take time from the start that is a good sign they may not be the right agent.

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Connect With Me

To regularly receive my monthly coupons and real estate advice, just email me at [email protected] and I’ll add to you to my monthly email list. You can view my website here.

And for help in determining if this is the right time for you to sell your home, give me a call at 515.371.5277 and I’ll be glad to come out and do a free market analysis on your home.

 

2 COMMENTS

  1. When making a list, choose different agents from different companies with different backgrounds, and then make appointments to speak with them. It will probably facilitate the process if you start by telephone and just call around and make mini interviews.

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