No matter if you are looking for a buyer’s agent or a listing agent, you need someone that is an expert on your neighborhood of choice and that is familiar with your area’s market.
Your current neighborhood is a great place to start looking for your agent. Keep your eyes peeled for agents who have a lot of for sale signs in your area. Talk to your neighbors to see which broker they used and what they thought about the experience. You can also drop into open houses to see the brokers in action.
Once you’ve narrowed it down to a pool of a few reputable agents, treat the agent hiring process the same way you would hire a new employee. Interview them to get a good understanding of their track records and gather references.
Start off the interview process by asking to see their current and previous listings and pay special attention to the price ranges, neighborhoods and list to sell prices.
Most importantly, take stock of who the agent is as a person. Have the agent sell you on why she is the perfect person to find your next home or sell your current home. If the person can’t sell herself, she can’t sell your home. Ask yourself if she seems honest, communicative and hard-working. No one wants to work with someone they don’t like or trust!
If possible, find out if the agent works on a team and who will handle each part of the process. Having a support team behind your agent can be helpful, but be sure to get an understanding if the big name broker you are expecting to work with is actually the person that will show up to meet you or show your house to potential buyers.
Have the realtor give you a sample fee agreement. Review it carefully to determine what your cancellation rights are.
Find out what the agent’s real estate fee is, but don’t automatically go with the person with the lowest fee because it might mean they are pressed for business or inexperienced. If you are selling your home with the intention of buying another, see if you can negotiate the fee on your listing, since the realtor will have the benefit of a “double-ended” deal.
If you are working with listing agents, ask about what types of marketing they will do and what they will spend. At a minimum in this market you can expect open houses, professional photos, website promotion and advertising to be included.
