Looking For A Seller's Real Estate Agent? Ask Them These 4 Questions

Are you currently looking for a real estate agent to help sell your home? If so, you'll want to ask any prospective agents the following questions before you agree to sign a contract. 

How Do You Handle Multiple Offers? 

A good question to start off with is asking how the agent handles multiple offer situations. What will be a red flag is if they simply say that they would recommend the highest offer since that is not always the smart choice. Your agent should compare the terms of every contract, look at how each buyer is securing their financing, and make note of any things to be wary of based on the agent's years of experience. They may also recommend negotiating with buyers or asking people to resubmit their best and final offers. 

What Items Are Negotiated With Buyers Other Than The Home's Price?

When it comes to negotiating with the buyer after an offer has been made, ask about what things the agent uses to negotiate with other than the price of the home. It helps to know if the agent recommends certain things when it is a buyer's market, like performing repairs, paying for closing costs, and providing a home warranty to give the buyer peace of mind. This can let you know what concessions you may have to make down the road. 

Who Takes Your Real Estate Photos?

Another question you'll want to ask is who will be taking the photography for the property. Ideally, you want to hear the agent list the name of a photographer they like working with, which means that they take professional photos and you can look up their work online. If the realtor says that they take their own photos, be warned that this could be a red flag that corners are being cut. There is significant value in good real estate photography since it's the first impression you make on a home buyer.

What Is Done If The Home Doesn't Sell Within A Month?

Ask about what the agent's strategy will be if the home is not selling within a month of being on the market. What you don't want to hear is that they will want to lower the price since that is not always the answer. A good real estate agent is going to do research first, which means looking at recently sold homes in the area, hosting an open house, and listening to feedback from people that have toured the home and have not made an offer. They may even suggest taking the home off the market for a while so that it can show up again as a new listing. 

About Me

Paring Down Your List of Homeowner Must-Haves

When I started saving for my first house, I started thinking about the different things that my place absolutely had to have. In addition to an open floor plan and a nice neighborhood, I also wanted a beautifully landscaped yard, granite countertops, and a jetted tub. Unfortunately, my real estate agent explained that those items would be hard to find with my budget. I want every homeowner to know what they might be able to expect with their budget, which is why I am putting up this blog. By educating yourself, you might be able to find the right home a little sooner, and avoid wasting time.