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10 Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent Before Working With Them


Blog by Mary Roy | December 7th, 2015


25819245_s.jpgWhen you are in need of some help with buying or selling a home, the services of a professional realtor can be invaluable. For optimal results however, you need to know how to sift through your options to ensure you are working only with the best. Below, we suggest 10 questions to ask a real estate agent before hiring them:

  1. Do you work on a full-time or part-time basis, and what hours do you keep? 

    If you need a lot of attention, look for a full-time agent. Regardless, you will need to know when you can contact your agent and when you can meet with them.

  2. How long have you been a real estate agent, and what markets have you worked? 

    Experience is irreplaceable in realty, and each local market is unique. Ideally, you want someone who has at least 5 years of experience and at least 2 years in the local area.

  3. What level of formal real estate education have you achieved? 

    The complexities of real estate law and the great diversity of both clients and property styles demand at least some formal training and you should demand it as well before settling on a realtor.

  4. How many homes have you bought/sold in your career and in the last year? 

    While the size of the local market must be taken into account, sparsity of successful transactions is an ominous sign. Look for a realtor who is regularly completing transactions.

  5. How many clients are you representing right now? 

    This is one of the best questions to ask a real estate agent. If the agent is too overloaded with work, you may get put on the back burner. If they have too light of a load however, you may begin to wonder why so few have chosen their services. 

  6. Can you give me some names and numbers of past clients for references? 

    It may be that a former client recommended you to the agent to begin with, but otherwise, find out what opinion past clients have of the agent's services.

  7. What duties will you handle personally, and what will you delegate to others on your team? 

    Some realtors divide the tasks involved in making a transaction among team members with specialized skills, so you want to know exactly who will be doing what to avoid any confusion.

  8. What fees do you charge and what do they cover? 

    Surprise fees are the worst kind, so make sure your agent is upfront about all charges and you fully understand what you are paying for.

  9. What is your marketing plan to sell my property, and how long do you think it will need to be listed? 

    This is one of the questions to ask a real estate agent after you provided them with all of the details about your for-sale property. An experienced agent should be able to formulate a plan fairly quickly, including where to list your home and how much to expect it to sell for.

  10. Can you suggest to me a list of available homes that I might want to buy? 

    This is a question to ask a real estate agent after giving them some information first. It shouldn't take long for a skilled agent to create a pertinent list.

For more information about how to pick the best real estate agent, or for help choosing from the best homes in the Durham Region, contact us at Mary Roy and Team today!