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In today’s day and age, home sellers can find a lot of information online. Important data like average listing and selling prices, days on market, and reduction to the asking price during the listing period is available at the push of a button.
However, finding great real estate agents in Nanaimo isn’t always that easy. It’s hard to know who to trust, and which agent will get the job done right. To make finding a real estate agent easier, here’s a list of the eight top questions to ask your realtor before you list your home.
1. How many hours a week do you work?
By asking this question you’re trying to discover two things. First, does the agent work part time or full time. Second, are they overworked or under worked?
A real estate agent who is always burning the midnight oil will end up making mistakes, probably sooner rather than later. Agents who don’t work full time simply can’t provide the high level of professional service and knowledge needed to get your home sold fast.
2. How many clients are you working with now?
Use this question as a follow-up to the first one. It will give you a good idea of how active the agent really is in the real estate market here. It’s also a good indicator of how much time the agent will have to focus on your account versus the other clients she is working with.
3. How do you find buyers?
The purpose of this question is to learn what the agent’s marketing strategy is for getting your home sold. If the agent tells you she’ll put your listing on the MLS and post a sign – but then struggles to answer the rest of the question – it’s a good indication that her ‘strategy’ is to sit and wait for one of the other real estate agents in Nanaimo to bring a buyer in.
4. What is your average success rate?
There are three things you want to find out with this question:
- How fast do the agent’s listings sell vs. the average days on market.
- What percentage of her listings sell for at or above the listing price, and
- What is the total sales volume – in terms of transactions and dollars – over the last 12 months?
5. Do you focus on certain areas for listings?
The real estate agent should have experience selling homes in your neighborhood just like yours. That’s because they’ll already now the ins-and-outs of your local market instead having to learn at your expense.
6. Who pays your fee and what is included?
Speaking of expenses, be sure to find out if there are any hidden fees. Some real estate agents may quote a reduced sales commission to attract a lot of sellers, but then up charging extra for things like website marketing and open houses.
7. Will you provide me with references?
You’ll gain a wealth of information with this question. You can speak to current and past clients, learn how well the agent communicates and if what they’ve been telling you about their business is true. If the agent can’t or won’t provide you with references, it’s probably best to walk away and find another real estate agent with satisfied clients.
8. Do you have your own website?
Real estate agents who go through the time, trouble, and expense of setting up and regularly posting useful information to their own personal website are demonstrating just how aggressive they are. Agents who rely only on their company website or the MLS will likely leave you wondering if you’ve left money on the table when you close escrow.
