If you’re looking to sell your home, chances are you’ll want to be represented by a realtor – but you don’t just want to work with any realtor. Instead, you want to take the time to ask family and friends for referrals and interview many real estate agents to find an experienced professional to list, market and negotiate your biggest investment.
When meeting with a realtor, here are seven questions that you can ask to help you determine if they are the right fit for you:
1. Have you sold homes in this neighbourhood?
Neighbourhoods differ greatly in terms of what types of homes are sold, what buyers want and the amenities that they offer. You want to choose a realtor with area specialization and knowledge of local real estate trends to market and price your home accordingly to attract the most buyers. If a realtor lives out of your area or specializes in other cities or towns, they may not be the best fit for you.
2. Have you sold homes in this price range before?
Whether you are selling a starter home or a luxury listing, your realtor should have experience selling homes within your price range. The price range of your home can impact how your listing is marketed to potential buyers and it’s important to have the appropriate marketing plan in place to suit your target demographic.
3. How many homes have you listed in the last six months?
When hiring a real estate representative to sell your home, you want to be sure that you are working with a professional and not a hobbyist. Find out how many houses the agent has listed and sold within the last six months to a year. If they’ve only sold a few properties, you may want to look elsewhere.
4. How will you market my home?
The right real estate sales representative will have a marketing strategy in mind to cover each stage of the home selling process beyond putting your listing on the MLS. From staging and professional photography to virtual tours and digital/print marketing materials, an experienced realtor will have a well-laid out marketing strategy to ensure a quick and successful sale. Be sure to also ask to see samples of their marketing materials to get a sense of what you can expect.
5. What are the costs involved?
Selling a home is a huge financial decision and you want to be aware of costs along the way. Before deciding to work with a realtor, find out what their commission fees are. Real estate commissions are the fees that you pay a realtor for their services and they are calculated as a percentage of the selling price. In Ontario, the standard real estate agent commission is 5% of the property price plus HST, but it can range anywhere from 3.5% to 5%. The total commission will be divided between the buyer and seller agents, where the buyer's portion is typically fixed at 2.5%.
6. Do you have a network of professionals you can connect me with?
If you need help getting your home ready for sale, a well-connected realtor should have an extensive network of professionals that they can recommend. This may include service providers, like stagers, home organizers, painters, movers, downsizing experts, home inspectors, contractors, mortgage brokers and more. Having connections that you can tap into can make all the difference between a stressful home sale and a smooth one.
7. Can I read your client testimonials?
Reading client reviews and testimonials can be very helpful when choosing the right real estate agent to sell your home. If you’re impressed with a realtor’s reviews, ask if you can speak to past or current clients for additional feedback to help you make the right decision. An agent with a great track record should be happy to connect you with satisfied clients.
Sound Advice to Guide You Home
If you are looking to sell your Mississauga home or condo, contact me, Deborah Clerk, Real Estate Sales Representative and Accredited Senior Agent (ASA) at Keller Williams Real Estate Associates, Brokerage, to learn more about my real estate selling services. As a professional realtor with many years of experience and a proud resident of Mississauga for more than three decades, I look forward to sharing my market knowledge and expertise with you!
Post a comment