Hiring a Real Estate Agent is not a simple decision. The truth is, the wrong Realtor could make your home’s sale/purchase a nightmare, and could cost thousands, leaving you in significant financial trouble. To prevent that from happening, you need to be absolutely sure that the agent you hire will work with your best interests in mind.

Our Team has decades of experience in the Real Estate industry, so we have a pretty good idea of what makes a good Real Estate Agent. We’ve also become familiar with many of the red flags you should be looking out for when you hire an agent. So today, we’ve put together a list of some of the questions you should be asking any Real Estate Agent before you decide whether or not they’re the right one for you.

1. How many Buyers are you currently working with?

Obviously, the more buyers your agent is working with, the better your chances are of selling your home quickly. It will also impact price because an agent with many buyers can set up an auction-like atmosphere where many buyers bid on your home at the same time. Ask them to describe the system they have for attracting buyers. A great agent may already have interested buyers by the time you decide to list with them, so they could help get your home sold almost immediately.

2. On average, how long does it take for your listings to sell?

This information is available from your local Real Estate Board. Look for information that demonstrates whether or not the agent is selling faster or slower than the board average. Their performance on this measurement will help you predict how long your home will be on the market before it sells. Remember: selling a home faster means you’ll be getting more money, and homes that sit on the market will sell for less than the original asking price.

3. What happens if I’m not happy with the job you are doing to get my home sold? Can I cancel my listing contract?

Be wary of agents that lock you into a lengthy listing contract which they can get out of (by ceasing to effectively market your home) but you can’t. There are usually penalties and broker protection periods which safeguard the agent’s interests, but not yours. In essence, if you find yourself dissatisfied with their service, you can’t leave for another agent until your contract is up, and that could take months.

How confident is your agent in the service s/he will provide you? Will s/he allow you to cancel your contract without penalty if you’re not satisfied with the service provided? If not, this is a red flag that you should absolutely avoid if possible.

More Questions You Should Ask

There are so many other great questions you should be asking Realtors—too many to fit in this article! If you want to know what else you should be asking, then check out our free report: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Agent. You can find the report HERE.

And if you’re looking to sell your home, we’ve got you covered. We sell our listings three times faster, which reduces stress for our clients and gets more money in their pockets. Did you know that only 48% of homes that went on the market last year sold the first time with the first agent they hired? Most sellers last year had to call a 2nd or 3rd agent to get the job done, or even worse, not sell at all. The agent you hire the first time matters! Reynolds EmpowerHome Team sells 98% of our listings the first time, so when you hire us, your home is more likely to sell fast & for top dollar!

Curious about how quickly your home could sell? Call Us at 301-769-7951, or visit our website.