So you are going to sell your home! Great timing! Inventory is so low right now and buyers are salivating at the prospect of buying your home. So….. how do you pick the Realtor to represent you in the crucial transaction?
Here are some questions which will sort out the great agents from the so so agents. if you are planning on selling a home in Bethesda, Maryland, Chevy Chase, or anywhere else in the DC Metro area, please give the Lise Howe Group a call. We have great answers to all these questions!
- CHECK OUT THE “Seniority Factor:” How long have you been in business is an important question. The exact time the agent tells you does not really matter. What is important is knowing that they are seasoned or experienced. Ask them about the frequency of their yearly transactions. Ask them about some of their most difficult lessons they have learned and then about some flawless transactions they have had. This is an interview in which you are hiring them for a job. Making sure they are ready to come on board to the capacity you need is the first and most essential question you ought to ask.
- List-Price-to-Sale: For most statistically driven minds, a good and telling bit of data you can ask for is the price:sell ratio. Even if you are looking for a buyer’s agent, knowing the negotiation skills of your agent is a testament that can be used on both sides of the transaction. Listing agents should be close to 100% and buyers’ agents should be less than 99%.
- For My Needs: Every agency will have a standard marketing plan. Look for the fine detail in how the presentation has been specialized to your situation. CMA’s are a standard touch, but look at their marketing and see if each place they demonstrate marketing to is a fit to the listing you are bringing them. If there are irrelevant factors, that is a good clue that this is a form marketing plan and not specialized to your needs.
- References: As stated above, this is a job interview. Ask them for references which you can call after the meeting to hear directly from the experience of others. Call as ask what the agent did above and beyond and what they just did ‘okay’ on.
- Top Three: Put the agent on the spot by asking them up-front what are the three things that set them apart from anyone else—even other agents in the same office. Many offices have structures in place so the agents offer an equal experience. What does this agent do outside of that template business model? Listen for creative and effective answers. See if they have even thought of why they are a special and unique agent.
- Networking: Finally, what other professional assistance can the agent introduce you to? What other professionals will you be in contact with throughout the home buying or selling process: lenders, bankers, appraisers, title companies, ect… The quality of their professional network will impact your transaction so ask about it.
Remember – if you are interviewing agents in the Bethesda market – or elsewhere in the DC Metro Area, then the Lise Howe Group should be on your list to interview. Give us a call at 240-401-5577!