how to find the right realtor for...
TRANSCRIPT
How to Find the RIGHT Realtor for You. 10TipstomakesureyoupicktherightRealtorforYOU,andmakesureyoureceiveTOPDollar!
Hereisashortlistofquestionsyoushouldbeaskinganyagentyouinterviewpriortolistingyourhomeforsale.Remember,everyrealestateagentisdifferentandyouwillneedtodetermineifthisissomeoneyoucantrusttosellyourhome.Sometimesitjustcomesdowntopersonalitytypes,butmostofthetimetherewillbeobvioussignsthatwillpointtosuccessorfailuredowntheroad.
1. Whyareyoudifferentthantheotheragents?GonearethedaysofjustputtingalistingintotheMLSandhavingitsoldin2weeks.Themarkethaschangeddrasticallyinthelastcoupleofyears.Hastheagentstayedontopofthecurrentmarketingtrends?
2. HowmanyLISTINGSdoyouSELLeachyear?Thereisadifferenceinlistingssoldandhomessold.Whenyousellyourhome,youwantanagentwhosellslistings.ManyRealtorswilltalkabouthowmanyhomestheyhavesoldbutthenincludehowmanyhomesweresoldasabuyeragent.Youwantalistingagent.
3. Whatisyourmarketingstrategy?Howmuchmoneydoyouspendonadvertising?Thereisalotoffreeadvertisingavailabletorealestateagentsbutsomeofthemosteffectivemarketingisn’tfree.Infact,someagentsmightthinkit’stooexpensivebutI’mheretotellyouit’simportantifyouwanttogetTOPDollarforyourhome.Thinkofitthisway,anyonecansellahomethat’sundervalued,right?Well,ittakesmarketingtoattractabuyeratmaximumvalue.Youneedtopromoteeverylittledetailaboutthehomesothateveryoneknowswhyyouareaskingthepriceyouwant.Createtheexcitement!
4. Haveyousoldhomesinmyarea?Thisdoesn’thavetobeinyourneighborhoodbuttheagentshouldhaveagoodunderstandingofatleasttheschoolsandnearbyattractions.Thisisgoingtobepartoftheirmarketing,sotheyneedthisinformationtobesuccessful.I’msurethisinformationplayedapartinwhyyouboughtyourhomehere,soitmakessensethatyourbuyerwillbeattractedtothehouseforthesamereasons.
5. DoestheBrokerpayfortheadvertisingortheagent?ThisisimportantbecausesomeBrokersadvertiseverylittleormaynotvalueyourhomeenoughtoadvertiseitastheyshould.EveryagenthastopaytheirBrokeramonthlyfee,sometimesthefeeissohighitreducesthemoneytheagentcanspendoutoftheirownpocketforadvertising.Youwantanagentthatcontrolstheadvertisingofyourhome.Plus,youcanholdtheagentaccountablefortheadvertising!
6. CanIcancelmycontractifI’mnothappy?Noonegoesintoacontractthinkingtheirwillhaveproblemsdowntheroadbutyoushouldaskthisquestionjustincase.MostBrokerageswillnotletyououtofacontractandiftheydo,theywillaskyoutopayafee.
7. Doestheagenthaveanyperformanceguarantees?Everyagentwilltellyouhowgreattheyareandhowtheyjustknowyourhomewillsellbutwilltheybackupwhattheysaywithaguarantee?
8. HowoftenwillIreceivefeedbackfromshowings,openhousesandchangestothemarket?Themarketisalwayschangingandyouneedweeklyupdatestostayontopofit.Didsomeonenearbyjustlisttheirhousefor$10,000lessthanyours,eventhoughitissimilar?That’simportantinformationtoknow!Notallagents,whoshowyourhome,willgivefeedbackonwhattheirbuyersthoughtofyourhomebutagoodagentwillkeepcallingthemuntiltheydogivesomemeaningfulinsightastowhythebuyersdidn’tmakeanoffer.Youshouldalwaysreceivefeedbackfromopenhouseseitherthesamedayorthenextdayatthelatest.
9. DoestheagentaskYOUlotsofquestions?Thismightbethemostimportantquestionofall!Rememberweworkforyouandtheonlywaywecanmakesureyouareasatisfiedclientistoknowwhatyourexpectationsandneedsare.Areyoulookingforaquicksale?Issalespricethemostimportantneedrightnowbecauseyouneedacertainpricesoyoucanaffordthenexthouse?Gettingmarriedandneedabiggerhomebyacertaindate?Changingschooldistrictsandneedtodoitbeforeschoolregistrationstarts?Gettingdivorced?LeavingforFloridaforthewinter?Therearemanyquestionsthatshouldbeaskeduntiltheagentknowshowtohelpyou.Iftheyaremoreinterestedintellingyouaboutthemselvesandhowgreattheyare,youprobablydon’twanttoworkwiththem.Thisisyourtimetobeselfish,it’sallaboutYOU!!
10. Whatareyouraveragedaysonmarket?Whatisyouraveragesalespricetolistprice?Iputbothofthesequestionstogetherbecausetheybotharenotrelevantintoday’smarketbutthesequestionsareoftenfoundonlistslikethisone.Isaytheyarenotrelevantanymorebecausetheycanbemanipulatedtobewhateveranagentwantsthemtobe.Cheatingbysomanyagentsthattheydon’thavevalueanymore.Icanshowyouhowthisisdoneifyouwouldlikemoreinformation.
Contact me today to find out how if we’re a good fit … and to see how I can help with the buying or selling of your next home!
www.JimMunk.com Jim Munk Associate Broker
Remax Real Estate Professionals 300 W. Lake Lansing Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823
517.853.0500 - office 517.974.6614 - cell