Are you looking to sell your house? Have you decided to hire a real estate agent to help you with the process?
If you’re hiring a real estate agent, you’re making a wise decision. Real estate agents know the market, they have superior negotiating skills, and they can help the whole selling process go as smoothly as possible.
But, you can’t just hire the first real estate agent you find on Google. If you want the sale to go as smoothly as possible, you need to focus on hiring the right agent.
Check out this guide to learn the top tips for hiring a realtor.
1. Get Referrals from Your Network
First things first, you’ll want to get some referrals from your network. Chances are, you know someone who has recently sold their home, and they can be a huge asset in terms of finding the right agent.
Ask friends, family members, and co-workers for recommendations. Ideally, you’ll want to find an agent who has good experience and experience with your needs. For example, if you own a luxury home, you’ll want to hire a real estate agent who has experience with luxury home sales.
2. Look for the Capital R
You also want to make sure you hire a realtor, not just a real estate agent.
What’s the difference, you ask?
If someone has the title realtor, it means they’re a member of the National Association of Realtors. This means that they formally abide by a formal code of ethics for real estate agents.
Some realtors also have additional certification, such as:
- CRS (Certified Residential Specialist): This means they’ve completed additional training to handle residential real estate
- SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist): This certification means you’ve trained to help buyers over the age of 50
- ABR (Accredited Buyer’s Representative): This means they have special skills to represent homebuyers in transactions
3. Interview Potential Agents
Even if an agent has all the experience in the world, it doesn’t matter if they don’t communicate well with their clients.
You’re going to be spending a lot of time with your real estate agent, so you want to make sure you get along with them and that they communicate well.
During the interview, you should also make sure to ask the right questions. Questions you should ask include:
- How long have you been working as a real estate agent?
- What percentage of your clients are buyers vs sellers?
- What marketing methods will you use to help me?
- What neighborhoods have you worked in?
- What’s your perform method of communication?
- Do you have a list of references?
By asking these questions, you’ll be able to get a better feel for what agent is right for you.
Also, before interviewing agents, make sure you really understand how to sell a house so you come into the interview informed and prepared.
Hiring a Realtor: Are You Ready to Find the Best?
By following these tips for hiring a realtor, you’ll be well on your way to selling your home.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check back in with our blog for more home selling tips and tricks.
