A SELLER’S CHECKLIST GUIDE TO INTERVIEWING
A REAL ESTATE AGENT TO SELL YOUR PROPERTY

There are thousands of agents in our area. Choosing the right agent when selling your home can be confusing. There is a way to determine who is most likely to succeed in getting your price and terms. The key is ‘knowing’ the right questions to ask. These questions will help you select the right agent and make sure they are committed 110% to your personal goals.

1. Do you have a team of real estate professionals to help manage the marketing of my home?

Hint: A team dedicated to the marketing of your home can be more effective than an individual. A team should include personal assistants, not just office support staff, to ensure the important details in the marketing of your home are not overlooked or forgotten. Also, affiliates who are making a great living from your hard working real estate agent will make sure that your (the client’s) needs are met!

2. Do you have an aggressive, written marketing plan in which you invest your personal dollars? What will you do to sell my home?

Hint: Most real estate companies provide generic marketing plans, and if the agent doesn’t supplement it, your promotions remain limited in a cookie cutter environment. Without an exceptional plan, you can’t expect exceptional results customized to you.

3. Do you know the difference between passive selling and aggressive marketing?

Hint: Don’t say a word. Wait and see if they truly have an explanation or even know there is a difference. If they do not, consider choosing someone else. The best advice I’ve heard in regard to marketing a home to a prospect is, “Help them make a decision. Don’t be an order taker!”

4. Do you have a written guarantee allowing me to unconditionally terminate my listing at any time, for any reason, with no advance notice, no explanation, and with no strings attached, and no cancellation fee?

Hint: There is only one reason an agent does not offer this guarantee. They don’t have the confidence in their services to offer this guarantee to you. Why should you have confidence in their services, if they don’t?

5. How does your marketing benefit sellers directly?

Hint: The direct marketing of your home will help it to sell more quickly and for more money. If they can’t explain how multiple buyers can be put through your home…run!

6. What happens to the marketing of my home on weekends or when you are on vacation?

Hint: Our team approach allows us to be working on call for you seven days a week. With a team, we all have days off, therefore you can always reach a team member that is fresh, rested, and motivated to serve your needs. You don’t have to rely on another agent (when your agent takes a day off or goes on vacation) -- who knows very little about you, your property, your concerns, or your goals.

7. How will I know what is being done to market my home? How often will I hear from you if I list my home with you?

Hint: Communication is very important. If an agent is not up front with you and accountable, why should you have faith in them?

8. How do you provide security for my home?

Hint: If they do not explain how they screen agents setting appointments, a property check service while you’re on vacation, a buyer screening service, and a sign in policy at open houses -- BEWARE!

9. How do you keep track of all the details during closing?
Hint: If they don’t pull out their checklists, then they fly by the seat of their pants!

10. What is your return call policy?

Hint: If there is a hesitation, there is no policy. Here is mine -- same day if received between 7am – 8 pm PERIOD.
 

11. Who fields the phone calls from prospects calling the number on our yard sign?

Hint: If they say that those calls go to a “Floor time” agent when they are not
available or not in the office – BE CONCERNED! Floor time agents have NOT
seen your house, therefore, they are not in a position to adequately promote it.

12. How large is your office?

Hint: Be careful of offices that are too large. Often, offices that focus on hiring
large numbers of brand new agents (right out of school) may seem impressive
because of the size, but the quality of agent is not there. Keep in mind, it is the
new agents right out of school that serve “Floor time” and field calls on your
listing.

Also, be careful of offices that are too small. Often, these “Mom and Pop” offices
do not have the resources or the finances to aggressively market your home, let
alone the networking groups available to promote your listing.

Note: This is not to say that there are not very good large or small companies out
there…you just need to qualify them.

13. How will I know what agents and buyers think about my home?

Hint: The agent should have a follow-up system in place. It should be systematic
and aggressive. The system should have components such as ‘how soon after the
showing do we call the agent, how many times do we call the agent if we have not been successful in reaching them, how detailed do we get with our feedback
questions, what questions do we ask if the buyer is not interested in the house’.

Note: If the agent seems loose on how they handle feedback—BE CAREFUL,
they will very likely handle the marketing of your home in the same fashion.

14. Are you a “REALTOR” or a “Real Estate Agent”

Hint: If the agent has a blank look on their face when you ask this question—BE
CONCERNED! A Realtor, is a member of the National Association of Realtors,
we are held to a higher level of professionalism. Realtors are governed by a
“Code of Ethics” and “Professional Standards”. We have a governing body that
polices our Realtors and will impose fines and other penalties if the agent is found in violation of our “Code of Ethics” or “Professional Standards”. Standard Real
Estate Agents do not adhere to the “Code of Ethics” or “Professional Standards”.
If the agent is a Realtor that you are interviewing and they can’t explain the
difference between a Realtor and a standard Real Estate Agent, you might want to question how serious they treat their career.

15. What is RPAC and do you contribute?

Hint: RPAC is our political action committee that fights for homeowner rights,
such as the “Pop-up tax”, “Mortgage Interest tax deduction”, and “Eminent
Domain” to name a few. We fight to balance the Michigan Budget and encourage
our politicians to pass programs to help homeowners. Our board has a program
called the “WWOCAR Elite” which honors agents that contribute generously to
RPAC so we can fight for homeowners rights.