How to Choose the Right Real Estate Agent
An experienced real estate agent is critical to a successful home sale. With exclusive market insight and quality home-selling strategies, your real estate agent will take the stress out of selling a home and help you start your next chapter.
Hiring a real estate agent is a huge decision that should not be made lightly. At Mark Spain Real Estate, our agents have decades of valuable industry experience in some of the southeast’s most popular real estate markets. If you’re in the market for a real estate agent, we can lead you in the right direction. Below, we’ve created a guide on choosing the right real estate agent to sell your home.
How to Choose the Right Real Estate Agent
Do Your Research
If you’re looking for a real estate agent to sell your home, be prepared to do some research. Before making a list of candidates, it’s essential to weed out those who won’t meet your caliber. The ideal real estate agent will have a robust background of working with clients from different backgrounds, markets, and property types. They will also typically have a prominent online presence that shows prospective clients their history and success rate. 
Evaluate your candidates’ websites, social media, and reviews to narrow down your top choices. If you live in a smaller market, you may also refer to friends, family, and other locals within your community to share their first-hand experience with a candidate. On top of that, you’ll also want to verify your prospective agent’s licensing to ensure they have the correct credentials to sell your home.
Determine Your Selling Needs and Goals
Every seller’s goals are different. Maybe you need to sell your home in a time crunch, or perhaps you’re solely seeking cash offers. Whatever the case, your specific needs as a seller will affect your choice of real estate agent. It’s common for experienced real estate agents to specialize in a specific area, property type, selling timeline, etc. For example, if you’re selling a home as is, you’ll want to hire an agent with experience in selling these types of properties. While interviewing your candidates and talking to referrals, make sure to explicitly lay out your specific selling needs and goals to find your perfect fit.
Meet Your Candidates
Before finalizing any decisions, you’ll want to meet with each of your real estate agent candidates face-to-face. The best rule of thumb is to meet with at least three agents to get a general idea of how they can meet your selling needs. When meeting each candidate, you’ll want to clearly define your expectations to make informed decisions. You and your agent should outline the commission structure, list price, and contract length in writing to ensure all details are agreed upon before moving forward.
Ask the Right Questions
Treat your meetings with real estate agent candidates like job interviews, and come prepared with valuable questions. Below, we’ve compiled a list of questions to ask your prospective agent to ensure you cover all your bases.
- How long have you been in the real estate industry?
- Do you primarily sell homes or assist buyers?
- How many active clients do you have at a time?
- What property type/market is your specialty?
- Do you work with a team?
- What marketing strategies do you use for your listings?
- What is your experience with my specific property type and market?
Request References
To conclude your list of questions, you should always ask your candidates for references. The best rule of thumb is to request contract information from at least three of their past clients to learn about their selling experiences. Ask each reference about their real estate agent’s response time, listening skills, and efficiency throughout the selling process. Was your agent available to take calls when you had questions? Did your agent line up serious buyers? Was your agent prompt throughout the closing process? The more questions you ask, the better your chance of hiring a real estate agent that perfectly matches your needs.
Sell a Home with the #1 Real Estate Agent in the US
Are you looking for a real estate agent to help sell your home? The Expert Listing Consultants at Mark Spain Real Estate are here to help set your listing up for success. With decades of industry experience, our team of trusted agents will streamline your sale and ensure that it is hassle-free! And with our Guaranteed Offer Program, you can receive an offer on your home in only 21 days. Contact our agents today!
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