Consumers conduct interviews for various real estate agents before hiring one. The meetings may seem one way, but the real estate agent is also taking down their notes. During the interview, you will notice that the real estate agent also has his or her questions for you. You know a good agent when they also ask you questions because it means they are selective about whom they work for.
You can interview over the phone or arrange a meet up for example at the agent’s office. It is more appropriate to meet at the agent’s office for the first meeting than your own home. Because not all property search agents like these interviews, ensure that you only ask essential and necessary questions. Leave out any irrelevant questions but let them be about your needs and wants. Ensure that you tailor your questions towards what you are looking for in an agent.
One thing that you should avoid is interviewing agents from the same company.
The following are some examples of questions you can ask a prospective real estate agent and have a successful interview session:
How Long Have You Been In A Real Estate Agent?
As much as the popular belief is that, the more the experience, the higher the competence, freshly licensed agents can still be very good at what they do. The level of their training and the mentors they have are great contributors to their performance and reliability. The advantage of newer agents is that they will attend to you fully without many distractions. If a real estate agent is juggling two or even more jobs, they will not hand you their full concentration, especially if they are new at the job. The more experienced real estate agents have gone through unique circumstances, they have known how to solve problems in the business, they have overcome challenges and the more sales they have completed. This shows that they know a lot more than the freshly licensed real property search agents do. The following are some questions to ask during the interview.
What Is Your Average List-Price-To-Sales-Price Ratio?
The average ratios of agents usually depend on the market. An excellent buyer’s agent is one who can negotiate a sales price that is below the list price. The buyer’s agent’s ratios should be below 99%. Also, find out whether the agent is familiar with the area your property is located or where you want to buy from.
What Is Your Best Marketing Plan Or Strategy For My Needs?
It is essential to inquire about this so that you know how the agent will search for your home. From this, you will also discover how many houses he feels you will see before you settle for one that you like the most according to your preferences. You also need to find out how the agent handles multiple offers and whether you will be competing against other buyers. If you are selling and not buying, you will also want to know their strategy. Ask them about the methods they use for example advertising and how long do they do it. Do they use online websites and other platforms?
Will You Please Provide References?
No matter whether the agent is new or experienced, ask them to give you references. You especially need to meet or talk to the recommendations if the agent does not have reviews online.
