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I've interviewed three....one I did not like at all, one seemed inexperienced but very nice and returned calls, etc. and one had experience but didn't seem up-to-date on technology/Internet stuff too much. What specifically should I look for in an agent? How many should I interview? What questions should I ask?
Here is what I would do to find an agent...
1) find one who blogs. Two major real estate blog sites are ActiveRain Real Estate Network and realtalk.com. You can search by city on these sites. Agents also have sites hosted by many other sites such as blogger, etc. You can read some of their blogs and get a feel for who they are and how they do business. If you google your town and the words "real estate blog" you should get hits on blogs hosted on other sites.
2) Find someone with the e-pro and CRS or GRI designations. Designations are no guarantee of a good fit for you as a client, but agents that take the time to get them are usually (not always) committed professionals. e-Pro is the internet designation and CRS is the Certified Residential Specialist. You can google for the websites to find these agents.
3) They need to give you a marketing plan with DETAILS. I mean how much media advertising, open houses, etc. If an agent just says "I will do open houses" find out how many, how often? You want to be clear on EXACTLY what you are paying for.
4) Ask for their opinions of your local market. You want to see and hear data.
You should interview agents until you find one that you feel completely comfortable with. You are going to pay someone a lot of money. Don't settle.
I would recommend that you ask your friends for recommendations. Picking a real estate agent is not something I'd do simply by browsing the yellow pages.
Don't just pick one based on their low commission or simply choose the one that tells you your house is worth $xx,xxx more than all the other agents. Likewise, don't simply rule them out because they charge a low commission or set a high LP.
Get a detailed marketing plan and have them show you the comps, and work out a strategy for selling your house.
Ask them what you will need to do before you list your house and LISTEN for their suggestions.
It is acceptable to appointments with several potential agents and sleep on it before signing a listing agreement (be honest, but DO let them know). If you feel too much pressure from them, then tell them to back off. It's a big deal and you do not want to be stuck with an agent who is inflexible from the start.
Do your research in advance. Look at the company's website, does it load quickly, have lots of things to click on that are relevant to consumers so they don't click on and click off in a few seconds? Does it have homes that were sold months or years ago on it (who cares?) to make the agents look good? Do they have a lot of signs in the neighborhood that turn over frequently (do they move their inventory?) How is their image in the communinty, regionally and nationally? Are they perceived as a company that gets the job done or does their name imply that they do things for less? How about the agent? Can she/he send you some testimonials or point you to a site where they are posted?
Pick the one who sells a lot of homes, has a high sell to list price ratio, a high list to sell ratio (not many expireds), and a strong marketing plan with lots of internet marketing.
Here is what I would do to find an agent...
1) find one who blogs. Two major real estate blog sites are [URL="http://www.activerain.com"]ActiveRain Real Estate Network[/URL] and [URL="http://www.realtalk.com"]realtalk.com[/URL]. You can search by city on these sites. Agents also have sites hosted by many other sites such as blogger, etc. You can read some of their blogs and get a feel for who they are and how they do business. If you google your town and the words "real estate blog" you should get hits on blogs hosted on other sites.
2) Find someone with the e-pro and CRS or GRI designations. Designations are no guarantee of a good fit for you as a client, but agents that take the time to get them are usually (not always) committed professionals. e-Pro is the internet designation and CRS is the Certified Residential Specialist. You can google for the websites to find these agents.
3) They need to give you a marketing plan with DETAILS. I mean how much media advertising, open houses, etc. If an agent just says "I will do open houses" find out how many, how often? You want to be clear on EXACTLY what you are paying for.
4) Ask for their opinions of your local market. You want to see and hear data.
You should interview agents until you find one that you feel completely comfortable with. You are going to pay someone a lot of money. Don't settle.
it is also important to have a personality match. If you are a go-getter and your realtor is slow in every way, then it is total loss and frustration. I think I would ask her to show me 5 homes so that we spend time together in her car to get a feel for her personality. I would give her a list of criterias as my wish list and see how easily she understands my wish list, how soon she prepares me a list of houses to see and how anxious she is to come to get me to show me the houses. Otherwise, it's a real pain in the neck.
Pary
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