Questions To Ask When Choosing a Realtor

1. QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN CHOOSING A REALTOR
There are hundreds of real estate licensees in our area. Choosing the right agent for your
home can be confusing. It is especially difficult when you speak with several different
agents; and they all see so convincing. There is a way to find an agent who will most
likely succeed in getting your desired price and terms. The key is asking the right
questions.
The following list provides you with questions to ask your prospective Realtor. The list
will not only help you select the right Realtor, but also get you the very best from the one
you choose.
1. Do you work as a full-time Realtor? Yes
2. Are you a sale agent or a broker? Sales Agent
3. How will potential buyers be able to get information about my house? (a)
from the internet—eg. Realtor.com, (b) from my personal web sites, (c) from the
drop box in front of your home, (d) from calling me personally, (e) from calling
the office and being transferred to me.
4. Do you have a written marketing plan that I can check to see that all the
work has been done? Yes, I have a web site where I record what I have done
and all the showings have responses from the realtors who showed the property.
5. Do you have a staff to see that no details are overlooked? Yes, RE/MAX
Preferred Associates has a staff that handles all the listings with a check sheet for
them to check off that everything has been completed. Once the home has an
accepted offer I have a sheet that I complete with all the pertinent information on
the buyer and the seller. That staff member then follows what I have completed
and then works with the title company, attorney, etc. to coordinate the closing.
6. In what ways will you encourage other Realtors to sell my home? Every
Realtor at RE/MAX Preferred will get a sheet with all the information on your
home—therefore, if they have a client looking in that area they will have the
information to pass on. Also, after your home is listed and goes into our Multiple
Listing System, every realtor in this area with clients looking for a home like
yours will be alerted by email of the new listing as well as the client.
7. Do you have any system to follow-up on other agents so that we get valuable
feedback after every showing? Yes, as mentioned in #4 I have a web site that
contacts the agent after the showing as to how they liked the property, the pricing,
the condition, the possibility of another showing, and whether they might make an
offer.

2. 8. Are you on the internet exposing my property to millions of buyers instantly?
Yes, there is the MLS by the Toledo Board of Realtors, Realtor.com,
RE/MAX.com; Craigs List, Yahoo, RealBird, Active Rain, Localism, etc.
9. How many web sites do you have? Eight
10. How many web sites will my property are listed on? Eight to ten.
11. What is my property worth? What listing price do you recommend? How did
you arrive at this price? (a) Comparative Market Analysis, (b) RE/Max’s
Neighborhood Report, (c) Viewing active listings in your area.
12. How can buyers find my home? (a) The sign in front of your home, (b)
Directional, (c) the internet, (d) their real estate agent
13. Do you have a system that will educate me on the selling process? How does
it work? I will give you the steps that an owner goes through once an accepted
offer has been completed.
14. How do I know that you are not going to take the listing and then I will never
see you again? In my 21 years as a real estate agent I have always worked to stay
in contact with my clients. You can check with my broker who can state that he
has never had a complaint about my commitment to work with buyers or sellers.
15. How do I know that your price estimate for my home isn’t set high so I will
sign with you? Because of my market analysis, Neighborhood Report, and
actually checking out homes for sale around your area.
Never choose a Realtor based on price alone!
Remember that a Realtor cannot magically raise the selling price of the house.
Consider the buyer. The purchaser won’t willingly pay too much; it’s most likely that
he or she will do research on the market and try to find the best product for the best
price. The facts simply cannot be changed, no matter which Realtor you select.
In spite of the unchangeable factors, the Realtor you select must still be diligent and
knowledgeable. If your property does not elicit attention within several weeks, the
cause can most likely be attributed to one of these three factors: location, condition,
and price. The location obviously cannot be changed. You should consider
examining the condition of your property and reevaluating the marketing strategy.
Ask your Realtor to offer an explanation of the competition and your pricing strategy.
Source: Virtual Realty; http://www.123-real-estate-riverside.com
Linda Sabo
RE/MAX Preferred Assoc.
3306 Executive Pkwy. #101
Toledo, OH 43606
419-720-5600 x 320
419-344-6565 (cell)