Like any other professional you would hire, it’s important to vet your real estate agent thoroughly before you agree to work with them. After all, buying or selling a home is one of the biggest financial decisions that most people will make in their lifetimes. And while any decent real estate agent will be able to help you through the process, you want to make sure you’re choosing someone who has the right expertise and skills for your specific situation. Reading reviews and testimonials and checking out their website or socials is a good way to start. But once you’ve narrowed it down to a few candidates, you may want to consider conducting an informal interview to better assess which real estate agent will be able to provide the services you need. With that in mind, here are the top 5 questions to ask a real estate agent before you enter into a working relationship.
A Brief Overview of the 5 Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent
When it comes to questions to ask a real estate agent, you should make sure that each will help you better understand a different aspect of their capabilities. As a result, your questions should be varied and precise. Here are our top 5 questions to ask a real estate agent:
- How long have you been working in real estate?
- How well do you know the area where I’m interested in buying or selling?
- How available are you and what are your working hours?
- What strategies do you use to find suitable properties for your buyers?
- Can you provide examples of successful negotiations you’ve been involved in?
Now that we have the big picture in place, let’s take a look at each of these questions and what you should look to get from them in a little more detail.
Question #1: How long have you been working in real estate?
This is one of the most important questions to ask a real estate agent before you decide who you’re going to hire. The more experience a real estate agent has, the more likely they are to be proficient at what they do. A more seasoned agent is more likely to have encountered a variety of real estate scenarios, so you can trust that they’ll be able to handle complications if they arise. Plus, seasoned professionals tend to have larger networks of industry contacts, meaning they’re better equipped to navigate the intricacies of the real estate market no matter what condition it’s in.
However, that doesn’t mean you should necessarily discount younger or newer agents. Professionals who are newer to the market may bring a fresh perspective and a different strategic approach. Just be sure to interview them a little more thoroughly to ensure they have the knowledge to handle your needs.
Question #2: How well do you know the area where I’m interested in buying or selling?
A deep familiarity with the area you’re looking to buy or sell in enables your real estate agent to share insights about specific neighborhoods, pricing trends, and potential challenges. If you’re a home buyer, the advantages go even further. Local knowledge is one of the best traits your real estate agent can have if you want them to be able to find the right house for you.
For example, CENTURY 21 Bolte Real Estate has been in business in North Central Ohio for more than 80 years and many of our agents grew up in the communities that they serve. That’s a lot of local knowledge!
Question #3: How available are you and what are your working hours?
Whether you’re buying or selling, knowing your agent’s availability is more crucial than most people would guess. Think about it. If you work full time and you’re a parent with young children, you might have very limited windows in which you can attend a showing or open house. Finding a real estate agent with flexibility is essential to ensuring that they will be available when you need them.
Question #4: What strategies do you use to find suitable properties for your buyers?
This question is actually a great one to ask whether you’re a buyer or a seller. If you’re looking to buy a home, you obviously want to make sure that your real estate agent has all their bases covered. You also want to find someone who goes into the process with a plan in place so they can achieve the best possible outcome for you.
If you’re a seller, having a well-rounded real estate agent that understands the nuances of the buying process can be a major benefit. If they know what buyers are usually looking for, it will be much easier for them to deliver it when trying to sell your home.
Question #5: Can you provide examples of successful negotiations you’ve been involved in?
Finally, this one might come last in our list of questions to ask real estate agents, but it’s certainly not the least. You always want to be sure to ask a real estate agent for reviews, testimonials, and details on deals they have done in the past. Having this knowledge at your fingertips will allow you to assess their working style, as well as the type of relationship they tend to have with their clients. Plus, if the agent can provide you with some amazing anecdotal evidence that they are as good as they say, that’s always a good sign.
Ask Us Anything at CENTURY 21 Bolte Real Estate
At CENTURY 21 Bolte Real Estate, we’re proud to provide services to home buyers and sellers in communities in North Central Ohio. We are a company that has been in the real estate business for more than 80 years, and our passion for and expertise in real estate is unmatched. We are here to help you achieve your real estate goals, whether you’re looking for a first home, you’re wanting to sell and downsize, or anything in between.
Connect with us today and ask us anything! We look forward to hearing from you.
