7 Crucial Questions to Ask a Realtor When Selling a Home

The choice to sell a property is a major one, and if you want to maximize your profit, collaborate with a realtor that can maximize your home's worth. Finding a competent agent to deal with when selling a home is essential. If you want to sell your property quickly and for top dollar, you'll need to know what questions to ask a realtor when selling the house.

Finding a qualified real estate agent willing to sell your home is much simpler when using BidMyListing. After you create your property profile, BidMyListing invites top local real estate agents to submit proposals to represent your home sale. You'll have your pick of motivated realtors willing to invest in your home sale! The following questions to ask a realtor when selling a house can help you make an informed decision.

How Long Have You Been a Realtor?

When looking for a realtor to help you sell your property, you should first ask about their level of experience and the areas in which they've worked. If you're concerned about the agent's qualifications, you can verify their status by checking their licensing. The local government for the realtor's state will have information on the license, including the date it was issued. You can also request a list of the realtor's previous clients to verify that they provided satisfactory service. 

Do You Specialize in This Neighborhood?

Choosing a real estate agent to sell your house should be done carefully. Prioritize their experience and the number of transactions they've closed successfully. A local real estate agent is also more likely to understand your home's market value and the preferences of prospective purchasers in your area. Working with a real estate agent based in your home's area is essential for a smooth homeselling process.

Whom Will I Be Working With?

It's crucial to find out who you'll deal with regularly. While some real estate agents work alone, others belong to an agency. Whether you deal with an individual realtor or a group, you can tailor the selling process to your preferences. If you have questions or concerns while selling, communication with a realtor you're familiar with is often easier and more comfortable. Clarify if you'll communicate with one individual or a series of different people. This can make a big difference in who you choose to go with.

How Will We Communicate?

Asking about the agent's preferred contact method can help you narrow your options. Look for an agent who will keep in touch as often as needed and provide regular updates, regardless of their content. An excellent real estate agent will tell you if email, phone calls, or texts are the best contact method. If you ask a realtor how you will connect with them, you may get a sense of their availability, dedication, and preferred manner of contact, which helps in hiring the ideal agent.

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What Is Your Success Rate?

You should include a query about the realtor's previous sale success rate in your list of questions to ask a realtor when selling your home. This query helps you understand whether or not the realtor has the necessary sales expertise to handle your transaction. You may rest easy knowing that your realtor can sell your property on time based on their past results. If you want to be sure the realtor has the most up-to-date real estate market data to generate the best offer:

1. Ask for a list of recently sold properties from their portfolio.

2. Find out what percentage of the ask-to-list ratio the realtor achieves.

3. Compared to other agents' rates, determine whether your real estate agent's percentage of ask-to-list ratio seems reasonable in the current market. 

You should also know the typical time for a realtor's listing to sell. Before signing with a realtor, research how long listings typically stay active in your area. Knowing how long a realtor listing takes to sell gives you a ballpark estimate of when your house could go under contract. The number of days a listing spends on the market depends on different factors, including the property's condition and location.

What Is Your Marketing Strategy?

When searching for a real estate agent to sell your house, ask about their marketing approach. Well-marketed homes often sell quicker and for more money. Agents market houses through a multiple listing service (MLS) and other sources. MLSs are databases realtors use to serve buyers and sellers better. Some real estate brokers supply free MLS data but typically conceal any seller information that can endanger them. The agent will only share sensitive information with the buyer during closing.

Agents also utilize staging to entice buyers. A real estate agent stages a home by adjusting the décor and rearranging the furnishings. A realtor should know how to arrange a house, making it more appealing to buyers.

When selling a property, the listing price plays a significant role. Buyers want proof that the house is worth the listed price. Agents will use high-quality photographs and videos to show consumers a property.

Additionally, realtors often use traditional marketing methods, such as distributing promotional materials, to sell a client's home. They may also promote online, through leaflets, or verbally to generate additional leads. Demand increases a home's listing price.

How Much Will Selling My Home Cost?

Remember to ask about price while making a list of questions for the realtor when selling your property. Understanding any extra costs will ensure no surprises or unplanned expenditures. The realtor should specify the total price of the services in the listing agreement. BidMyListing can help you compare the best real estate agents in your area to find a commission rate and fee that work for you.

Bottom Line

Knowing what to ask a realtor when selling a home can simplify the homeselling process. BidMyListing allows you to compare proposals from motivated real estate agents who want to sell your home. Get started today!

To learn more about selling your home, visit our Home Seller Resources >