"I'm selling my home but I'm not sure which agent to choose."
Sounds familiar? We hear this every day. So, to help you select the right agent, we put together top 10 questions that are sure to put the agent under pressure during the interview. Will they pass?
After researching about the latest real estate activity around your area and short-listing the top agents based on their local presence and sales performance, invite them in for an interview. Challenge them with these 10 questions to find out if they are the right fit for the job of selling your home:
1. What am I going to do when I put my property on the market?
A dedicated and reliable agent is willing and able to walk you through from start to end of the sale process, address any concerns you may have and provide professional advice at all times.
2. How much is my property worth?
This is a common question and the agent who has done their homework thoroughly will be confident in providing a realistic and achievable market price range for your property. Ask the agent to justify their quoted price and provide solid evidence of recently sold comparable properties in the area.
3. What is the current selling/buying trend in my immediate area?
This will demonstrate the agent’s local expertise and familiarity with the area. More importantly, you can gauge if they have a well-established network of buyers looking for similar properties in your area.
4. Do you have a proven track record of success?
Request for recent testimonials and a reference you can contact who previously dealt with the agent you are interviewing.
5. What real estate training and experience do you have?
Experience alone is not enough. An agent that dedicates time and resources in honing their skills in marketing and negotiation and real estate knowledge demonstrates competence and commitment in handling the sale of your property. You want to be in capable hands when selling your most valuable asset.
6. Which selling method will best suit my property?
Private sale or auction? With so many longstanding debates about which selling method is best, choosing the right selling method can sometimes be confusing. Find out about the advantages and disadvantages of both and which method they think will bring the best result for your property and why. This is cruicial as there can be thousands of dollars difference in the end result.
7. How often will you provide feedback?
An agent should provide frequent feedback so you are kept in the loop throughout the whole sale process. Today, more and more vendors are demanding for real-time feedback and transparency and you should too.
8. What kind of buyers do you target to sell my property?
An agent needs to be strategic in targeting the right kind of buyers. Ask them what process they go through to qualify buyers.
9. How will you advertise my property?
An agent needs to have a solid marketing strategy on how to achieve a successful sale for your property. The majority of agents across Australia charge “Vendor Paid Advertising” fees on top of commission + GST. Other agents pay for all of advertising fees. Ask who will be responsible for this to avoid any surprises.
10. All agents provide a similar service. Why should I choose you?
Quite often, we hear about stories of vendors’ disappointment from agents with overpromised results and poor execution. With this one simple question, your chosen agent should be able to demonstrate their point of difference, integrity and dedication.
We hope that these 10 questions can help you select the right agent in selling your property.
Do you have any other questions in mind? Challenge us! Call us today on 9560 3988. We specialise in providing unique home selling solutions in Glen Waverley, Mount Waverley, Wheelers Hill, Mulgrave, Ashwood, Notting Hill, Burwood and the surrounds.
Thinking of selling? Make a confident decision.
We understand that selling your home is a huge decision that requires a lot of preparation. To help you prepare, we are giving you a FREE copy of Real Estate Uncovered by Peter O’Malley. To receive your FREE copy, simply fill in the form to have it posted to you.