Hiring a real estate agent or realtor is one of the best decisions you can make when it comes to selling your home. An experienced agent will be able to assist with everything from setting a fair listing price and creating a beautiful listing to scheduling showings of your property and handling a lot of your closing paperwork. Still, before you choose an agent to represent you in the sale of your home, there are a few questions worth asking.
What's The Current Market Like?
Having a solid understanding of what your local real estate market currently looks like will help you stay informed moving forward. Your real estate agent can explain to you whether you're in a buyers' or sellers' market, which can give you a better idea of how easy (or difficult) it may be to sell your home in a timely manner and at the price you want.
What Repairs/Upgrades Should I Complete?
After taking a look at your house in-person, an experienced and knowledgeable real estate agent should be able to make recommendations on repairs and/or upgrades that will be worth your time and money to complete. These are home improvements that will yield you the best return on investment and help get your home ready for showings.
What's Your Suggested Listing Price?
After seeing your home and looking at comparable real estate properties in the neighborhood, your real estate agent should also be able to come up with a listing price he or she would recommend for your property. There are many factors that come into play when determining a listing price, including the current market. This is an important number, as a home that's overpriced will likely sit on the market for a long time, whereas underpricing your home could mean leaving money on the table.
What's Your Commission?
Real estate agent commissions can vary but are typically a set percentage of the final sale price of the home. Be sure to get in writing your real estate agent's commission and make sure you're comfortable with it before you sign any kind of contract. An average commission for a real estate agent or Realtor is usually around 5 to 6%.
The prospect of selling your home can be a stressful one, but a real estate agent or realtor can help you through every step of the process. And asking these questions as you interview an agent can help you make an informed and confident choice!
Hello, my name is Ben Hatten. Welcome to my website about selling your home on the real estate market. When I was ready to sell my home, I thought that the process would go smoothly from start to finish, so I did not acquire help from an agent. After learning about all the things that could go wrong, I decided to enlist the help of an agent to sell my home with assistance. I created this site to help everyone prepare for the process of selling their home with help from an agent. I hope you will come by often to learn more. Thanks.