Whether you’re looking to buy or sell property, it’s a good idea to be represented by a licensed real estate agent. Having an agent to negotiate on your behalf not only ensures that you get the best possible results in your deal but also gives you someone familiar with the mountains of paperwork involved in a real estate transaction. Depending on where you live, there may be a plethora of real estate agents that leaves you with a decision to make. Remember, when picking an agent, you’re the one who is looking to hire them to work on your behalf. Here are some tips for interviewing agents.
How much experience do you have?
While this isn’t a deal-breaker either way, you do want to know how long your real estate agent has been in the field. Both veteran and rookie agents will have things that they are better at than the other, so depending on what you’re looking for in an agent, this answer may decide what way you want to go. Newer agents may have fewer clients, so they’re able to focus more on you while more experienced agents may be more familiar with closing deals but may also have more clients demanding their time.
What’s your strategy for meeting my needs?
Real estate involves a great deal of strategy, whether you’re looking to buy or sell a home. Knowing the best way to negotiate and find a potential buyer or seller is the difference in succeeding or failing in the transaction. Whatever you’re asking the agent to do on your behalf, ask them to outline the strategy that they will use to ensure that you get the best possible deal in the transaction.
What makes you better than the other people I’ve spoken to?
Real estate agents should be able to tell you their strong points quickly and why those things should matter the most to you. Remember, you’re not selling yourself to the agent to be their client; their pay depends on representing you. If their strong suit doesn’t line up with what you want or need, they’re not the agent for you. Ask why they are the right choice for your transaction.
There are some things you can do to narrow down the field before you start meeting with real estate agents. Hopefully, these questions can help with your interview process.