Seven key questions to ask when choosing a real estate agent to sell your home

If you’re going to sell your home and don’t know one real estate agent from the next, there are a few questions you should ask before retaining one.

As a buyer’s agent, I get more exposure to sales agents than most people, and the most professional of them get excellent results that work in the best interests of their clients.

Here are some of the most important questions you can ask to make sure your agent is ahead of the game, and to remind them that you are too.

1. Do you use a checklist when preparing a property for inspection?

Make sure your agent has a plan for getting your property looking its best when potential buyers walk in.

Strategies can include using candles and music to create a mood that helps buyers form an emotional connection, rather than relying on the weaker, fact-finding part of the brain.

2. Will you open the property privately for interested buyers?

Some potential buyers may not have the luxury of time but could be in a perfect position financially.

That’s why it’s important to know if your agent will give your property the attention it deserves to make sure an opportunity for the right buyer isn’t missed.

If your property has a tenant, it may be worth providing a small incentive to keep it clean and be flexible to opening the property upon request.

3. How long will it take to put my property on the market?

A great agent will be just as keen as you to photograph your property and get it on the market.

Depending on the flexibility of tenants, you may be able to have your property listed and ready by the weekend.

4. Can you provide an example of your marketing schedule?

The experience of handling a marketing campaign makes a sales agent worth their weight in gold to you. Your agent should be able to outline the campaign, how long it will take and the cost.

Make sure they can explain to you why they believe that method will be the most successful option for your property. And, of course, they should have a plan B on standby if needed.

5. Can you show me your recent sales statistics?

If your agent has established themselves in your area and at your price point, this will help you in your decision to hire them.

What’s more, they will probably have potential buyers on record who missed out on other properties.

6. How accessible are you as the selling agent?

You can expect top performing agents to be extremely busy, and this might result in difficulty reaching them when you need to.

When it comes to the sale of one of your biggest assets, you want to know the service will be attentive, personal and straight from the source.

7. Can you provide the contact details of your last three clients?

A good agent won’t have a problem supplying these to you. If they can’t, it’s possible they either haven’t done more than a few deals or they’re unable to find clients who were happy with their service.

The saying, “fail to prepare, prepare to fail” couldn’t be more relevant than when you’re selling your home. Ask the right questions, and you’ll put your biggest asset in the right hands.

Josh Masters is the founder of BuySide Buyers Agency