If you are planning on selling your home, how can you make sure that you select the best agent for the job? We have seven questions that you should ask when interviewing agents in order to hire the best one.

  1. How long have you been selling homes? You wouldn’t want to go to a doctor who’s just one year out of medical school. It’s helpful to have an agent that’s been in the business a while and has some experience under their belt.
  2. How many homes did you sell last year? A lot of agents like to tout the success of their company. Ask them how they have done year to year. Ask them to bring that data along to the interview. Again, it’s helpful to work with an agent who has a lot of experience. You could have a long-time veteran agent who has been in the industry for 20 years but only sells two homes a year, or you could have an agent who’s been working for four years but sells 30 to 40 homes a year. The second agent would have more experience.
  3. How are you going to market my home? It’s important to have a detailed marketing plan that is written down.
  4. Will you represent me exclusively? In Pennsylvania, an agent can represent you the seller, or the buyer, or both. If an agent is going to do dual agency, make sure that you understand it and consent to it.
  5. How will you keep me informed? We find that communication is one of the most important things to our sellers and clients. Ask them what their communication plan is and how often they intend to talk to you.
  6. Can you provide references? Ask for three or more references and ask for contact information. Make sure that you follow up with them so you can see what their experience was working with this agent.
  7. Are you a Realtor? Not all real estate agents are Realtors. If your agent is a Realtor, that means they are a member of the National Association of Realtors, which has been a champion for professionalism and ethics in real estate for over a century.

Those seven questions will help you pick the best agent for the job. If you have any other questions about hiring an agent or selling your home, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!