3 Questions Before Hiring a REALTOR
A home is often one of our biggest assets. Would you hire a CPA to prepare your taxes or an Investment Manager to handle your stock portfolio without an interview or reviewing their credentials? I hope not! Hiring a REALTOR should be no different. We are helping you sell or buy your HOME and one of your biggest financial commitments. Make sure we have the skills to SERVE YOU!
Here are a few important questions:
1. Are you a Full-Time or Part-Time Agent?
Pick an Agent that is fully invested in real estate and the market. There is a big difference between those of us that are on top of the market daily and fully invested in the career, and those that are trying to “make some extra money.” I love my fellow Agents, but this is one thing that really bugs me. You are helping people with one of their BIGGEST purchases and sometimes a family’s LARGEST asset. Let alone a place they may call HOME. Do not pretend you can give the service this requires doing it alongside of your day job.
2. How many homes have you sold?
This one is a little tricky for me because we all have to start somewhere but it is a good question to ask. I may be a little relieved by how often I wasn’t asked this in the beginning (haha). But are you their first sale, their 20th or 80th+? I wouldn’t necessarily rule out someone that hasn’t had a ton of transactions (sometimes they’re the hardest workers!), but you may want to follow up with questions like — what type of support they have at their brokerage, trainings they’ve done, what they did before real estate. Or, if you’d really like to work with them but aren’t quite comfortable, you could ask if they’d be willing to team up with an Agent that has more experience.
3. Do you have testimonials I can read?
This is an easy one. We all read reviews for Amazon purchases, restaurants etc. It’s shocking how many don’t read reviews before hiring a REATLOR! Look through Facebook, Zillow, Google Reviews etc.
Know a REALTOR but they are in another state or simply too far from you? Ask them to help you find an Agent in your area! This is a no brainer. They will likely get a referral bonus from the Agent, and they will know the questions to ask / things to look out for. If you need a reference for a CPA or eye doctor and your friend in another state specializes in either of those, wouldn’t you ask them if they could recommend someone? It’s the same thing! Us REALTORS will know how to match you with someone in your area.
Lastly, it doesn’t hurt to interview a couple of Agents to see who you’d most like to work with. Everyone has different styles and preferences. Do you prefer the Agent that has a team and does a ton of business? Or, the Agent that has a lot of experience but works on a smaller scale for more a more hands-on experience? Or, maybe you want to give your family member or friend a break and hire them. Whatever your goals are, don’t take hiring an Agent lightly. Determine what you are looking for and do your homework. Find a Professional you can trust and are excited to work with.
