How to Pick Your Listing Agent

When hiring a REALTOR to represent you in the sale of your home,  picking the right agent is primary to being concerned about what price to ask for your home.  Choose an agent with good business sense who you feel comfortable with and trust.  Work with him to create a marketing plan, including pricing, in order to sell your home in a reasonable amount of time.  

 

Do not choose an agent because he says he can sell your house for more than any other agent.  Agents do not set the current value of your home, the current market does this. It is unethical for an agent to say he can sell your home for more than current market value in order to obtain the listing. This practice is called “Buying the Listing”.  Real estate agents do not set the current value of your home, the current market does that.

 

Any agent can list your home at any price. It will be your decision as to whether you want your home on the market for sale or if you want it sold.  The realtor controls the marketing of your home, the legalities of the paper work, negotiating the offer, guiding you through the inspections, helping you through the escrow, and smoothing out the bumps in the road that most offers encounter.  Pick your Real Estate Agent smartly.

 

Be aware that, as in any profession there are different types of realtors.   There are agents who are members of the National Association of Realtors and some who are not.  There are “high volume” agents who have more listings than they can handle with their goal of selling half of them at best.  There are agents that are not members of the MLS and those that are.  There are inexperienced agents, and there are part-time agents. 

 

The last class of agents is the experienced, full time, professional REALTOR whose goal it is to sell 100% of their listings. They are members of the National Association of Realtors, members of the Southern Oregon Multiple Listing Service and members of the Oregon Association of REALTORS.  They are easy to get a hold of, good with paper work and details, good at negotiations and care about their clients.  

 

How do you determine what type of realtor you are interviewing? Ask these same questions of each realtor:

Are you a full time Realtor or a part time Realtor?
Can you show me your personal web site?
May I see your resume or personal brochure? 
How hard is it to get a hold of you? 
What is your educational background? 
What is your business background?
Do you have negotiation skills? 
What do you know about the market in my area? 
Do you have a written marketing plan? 
If I list with you will I be dealing on a weekly basis with you or with one of
your assistants? 
If you are out of town do you have someone to cover for you and how familiar will
they be with my listing? 
What do you do different than other realtors?
What type of internet marketing do you do? 
How many listings do you take on at one time?
How many of your listings have not sold?  
Do you do provide a Visual Tour? 
How many pictures to you put in the MLS listings? 
What type of documents do you put with the MLS listings?
What type of information do you leave in the home for Buyers to see?
Are you willing to show me your past listings history on the MLS and what
information you supply to the MLS for them?