If you’re opting for the traditional approach to selling your home, finding a skilled and trustworthy real estate agent is essential to the success of the process. Your agent will handle critical aspects of the sale, such as listing your home, providing staging advice, showing your property, negotiating with potential buyers, and handling all the necessary paperwork.
However, with so many agents to choose from in New England, it can be challenging to identify the right one for your specific needs. To help you narrow down your options and select the best agent for your home sale, here are eight essential questions to ask potential agents before hiring them.
Of course, if you’re looking to avoid the stress and uncertainty of the traditional home selling process, there is another option. You can sell your home for cash to a reputable home buying company like ours. If this sounds like the ideal solution for your needs, give us a call at (781) 549-0271 to receive a fair cash offer for your home!
1. Are you a full time agent?
It’s important to note that there are more than 2 million active real estate agents in the United States, which can make it challenging to determine who to work with for your home sale. While there is a wide range of agents with varying levels of experience and success, it’s essential to work with a skilled and knowledgeable agent who can provide you with the support and guidance you need to sell your home effectively.
One key factor to consider when selecting an agent is whether they are a full-time or part-time agent. A full-time agent typically has more experience and can devote more time and energy to your home sale, while a part-time agent may have limited availability and may not have the same level of expertise.
By asking about an agent’s experience and availability, you can get a better sense of whether they are the right fit for your needs and whether they have the skills and expertise necessary to ensure a successful sale. Ultimately, working with an experienced and dedicated agent can make all the difference in achieving a successful home sale.
2. Do you have referrals from past clients?
When selecting a real estate agent, it’s essential to work with someone who has a proven track record of success and can provide you with references from past clients. Legitimate and experienced agents should be more than happy to provide you with references that can speak to their level of service, professionalism, and success.
While many agents will tell you that they have a successful track record, it’s vital to verify this by speaking with their past clients. By doing so, you can gain valuable insights into their experience, learn what they liked and didn’t like about working with the agent, and determine whether they are the right fit for your specific needs.
Asking for references and following up with past clients is a critical step in the process of selecting a real estate agent, and it’s one that can help ensure that you work with someone who is experienced, knowledgeable, and committed to achieving a successful sale.
3. How long have you been a real estate agent in New England?
While the length of time someone has been a real estate agent is not a definitive measure of the quality of service they can provide, it can be a useful indicator of their experience and expertise. Some new agents may be highly motivated and work diligently for their clients, while some long-time agents may be complacent or not up to date with current industry trends and practices.
When considering a real estate agent in New England, we recommend asking how long they have been working in the industry, as this can help you gauge their level of experience and expertise. You can also ask follow-up questions based on their answers to gain a better understanding of their knowledge and approach to working with clients.
Ultimately, the key to selecting the right real estate agent is finding someone who is dedicated, knowledgeable, and committed to providing the highest level of service to their clients. By asking the right questions and doing your due diligence, you can find an agent who is the right fit for your needs and can help you achieve a successful home sale.
4. How much do you charge?
When selecting a real estate agent in New England, it’s essential to work with someone who is honest, straightforward, and transparent about their rates and fees. A trustworthy agent will be upfront with you about how much commission they expect to earn from the sale of your home, and they should be willing to negotiate with you if necessary.
If an agent is hesitant or unwilling to provide a clear and straightforward answer to your questions about their rates and fees, this could be a red flag. Honesty and transparency are critical in any business transaction, and you deserve to work with an agent who is upfront and honest about their expectations.
When selecting a real estate agent, we recommend asking about their rates and fees upfront to ensure that you are comfortable with their expectations and to avoid any surprises down the road. By working with a trustworthy and transparent agent, you can have peace of mind knowing that your interests are being protected and that you are working with someone who is committed to your success.
5. Do you work with a team?
When selecting a real estate agent, it’s essential to understand how they work and what you should expect throughout the process. Whether an agent works with a team or flies solo isn’t necessarily a determining factor in their ability to provide quality service and achieve a successful home sale.
However, asking about an agent’s working style and process can help you understand their approach to working with clients, how they manage their workload, and what you can expect in terms of communication and support throughout the process. Some agents prefer to work independently, while others prefer to work as part of a team, and there are pros and cons to both approaches.
Ultimately, the key is to find an agent who can provide you with the support, guidance, and expertise you need to achieve a successful home sale. By asking the right questions and doing your due diligence, you can find an agent who is the right fit for your needs and can help you achieve your real estate goals.
6. What’s your marketing plan?
The marketing phase of the home selling process is a critical factor in the success of the sale. How an agent markets your home can impact the level of interest from potential buyers, the number of offers you receive, and the final sale price. It’s essential to ask your real estate agent about their marketing plan and approach to ensure that you’re comfortable with their strategy and approach.
A good marketing plan should include a range of tactics and techniques to attract potential buyers, such as online listings, professional photography and staging, targeted advertising, open houses, and more. Your agent should also have a clear understanding of your target market and be able to tailor their marketing approach to appeal to potential buyers.
By asking your agent about their marketing plan, you can get a better understanding of their approach to selling homes and ensure that they have a solid plan in place to help you achieve your real estate goals. Be sure to ask specific questions about their approach to marketing, the tactics they use, and how they will promote your home to potential buyers. This can help you feel confident that you’re working with an agent who has a clear plan and strategy for selling your home.
7. How do you determine selling price?
Every agent approaches pricing a home a little differently. Once they’ve run comps and determined the true value of your home, they can either A) price your home a bit higher to help you get as much as possible or B) price your home a little lower to help it sell more quickly.
The agent should price your home in a way that makes sense for what you need and not just for what they need. So ask them this question to determine their process and to make sure they have your best interest at heart.
8. Will you also represent the buyer?
From an agent’s perspective, representing the seller and the buyer for a transaction is advantageous — because then they don’t have to split the commission with another agent.
Obviously, though, that can cause a conflict of interest and the agent might be thinking more of closing the deal than they are about helping your or the buyer. So it’s probably best if they only represent you in the transaction.
Final Thoughts
Finding a trustworthy real estate agent with lots of experience is easier said than done.
But by asking the above questions, you’ll get a really good idea of whether or not you want to work with a real estate agent.
Pay attention to their answers, ask follow-up questions, and make a decision.
And if you want to skip the headache of finding an agent altogether, give us a call at (781) 549-0271 and we can make you a fair cash offer on your home!
Who is Old Harbor Properties?
We are local New England residents that focus on buying properties off-market (with no commissions) for cash. We are not “flippers” or “investors” looking to pay pennies on the dollar. We are local Sox fans with families and we focus on buying rental properties. This allows us to make fair market value offers based on comparable sales and needed repairs. If you want to sell the property where you’re currently living, give us a call at (781) 208-7362 we can make you a fair cash offer, buy as-is, and close in as little as two weeks!
