Interviewing a Real Estate Agent

Interviewing a real estate agent is your opportunity to explore and define the future working relationship with your real estate agent.

As you talk with your candidates, share what you expect from an agent and ask what expectations your agent has of you. Since your Realtor will learn a great deal about your family, choose one with whom you are comfortable. Comfort and trust are as important as market knowledge.  Make sure you are working with someone whose heart is in the assignment.  Realtors have GOTTA love what they do, or they belong somewhere else!  If you get the sense that an agent is too hungry – back away. The agent’s needs must never supplant your own.  Most importantly of all, choose an agent who LISTENS.  A professional agent welcomes your questions and is clear and concise while answering them.

So grab a cup of coffee and talk to your real estate agent.  Here are some talking points for interviewing a real estate agent…

• What I WANT to buy/sell…
• What I can AFFORD to buy/sell…
• How long does it take to buy/sell a property?
• What steps are involved in buying/selling a property?
• What do your services include or exclude?  What do they cost?
• How do you prefer that I contact you?  Who do I call if you are unavailable?  Do work with a partner, associate or assistant?
• What my agent needs to know about my communication style… I love/hate charts, graphs and numbers.  I am available/unavailable at certain times.  I prefer to be contacted by phone, cell phone, email, text message, or other.
• What problems are you seeing in the current real estate market?  What solutions do you recommend to those problems?
• What haven’t I asked you that I need to know?

Good Luck!

Roger Martin