Questions to Ask When Hiring a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home

Is the agent a full-time Realtor? While experience is no guarantee of skill, real estate - like many other professions - is mostly learned on the job.

Designations such as GRI and CRS®, which require agents to take additional, specialized real estate training, are held only by about one-quarter of real estate practitioners. Specialty designations ensure an agent has expert-level knowledge and is the best to handle unique situations.

By asking this question, you’ll get a good idea of how much experience the real estate practitioner has.

And how did that compare to the overall market? The Realtor you interview should have these facts on hand, and be able to present market statistics from the local MLS to provide a comparison.

This is one indication of how skilled the Realtor is at pricing homes and marketing to suitable buyers. Of course, other factors play into the results, including an exceptionally hot or cool real estate market.

This is one indication of how skilled the Realtor is at pricing homes and marketing to suitable buyers. Of course, other factors play into the results, including an exceptionally hot or cool real estate market.

You don’t want someone who’s going to put a "For Sale" sign in the yard and hope for the best or roll down the window to take lackluster pictures from the car as they drive away.  Look for someone who has aggressive and innovative approaches and knows how to market your property competitively on the Internet. Professional results require professional services.  Your prospective Realtor should hire a professional photographer who spends much time producing quality edited photos of your home.  The saying used to be "Location, Location, Location," but in the digital age when there is a buyer for everything, it's imperative to employ a team of dedicated media marketers to put your property in front of the right audience. The new saying is Marketing Matters Most!

Though it is legal to represent both the buyer and the seller in a transaction, it’s important to understand the specific duties and responsibilities of the Realtor. A great Realtor should thoroughly explain his or her agency relationship to you and describe the rights of each party.  

Realtors are immersed in the home industry, therefore they’re wonderful resources as you seek lenders, home improvement companies, and other home service providers. Realtors should recommend at least 3 trusted providers and let you know if they have any special relationship with or receive compensation from any of the providers.

Having resources such as in-house support staff, access to a real estate attorney, and assistance with technology can help an agent sell your home.

While there’s no right answer to this question, the response will help you assess what’s important to the agent and determine how closely the agent’s goals and business emphasis mesh with your own.

Again, this is not a question with a correct answer, but how you judge the response will reflect your own desires. Do you want updates twice a week or do you prefer not to be bothered unless there’s a hot prospect? Do you prefer phone, text, e-mail, social media DM, or a personal visit?

An honest, trustworthy, successful Realtor will be happy to share references. Ask recent clients if they would work with this realtor again. Find out whether they were pleased with the communication style, follow-up, and work ethic of the real estate agent.