Questions to Ask Your Agent Before Signing a Listing Agreement
Top 5 Questions to Ask Your Listing Agent
You’ve finally decided to list your home for sale and you’re meeting with listing agents. You’re a little nervous and don’t know what to ask. What are the top five questions you should ask agents when you meet with them?
What is your experience? This simple question is often overlooked by people selling their homes, but it is a very important question. Listing agents should be able to tell you how many homes they’ve sold in their career, how often they sell property in your home’s price range as well as how many years they’ve been selling homes in your neighborhood. Just as in any other profession, experience counts in real estate.
How will you determine the value of my home?
An experienced listing agent will tell you that he or she will do research and sales comparisons to determine the value of your home, while collaborating with you to determine a reasonable selling price. An experienced agent will not simply ask you what price you want your home to sell for, but will provide you with detailed research to help you determine a reasonable price that will help to ensure that your home sells. Too many homeowners often decide to list their home with an agent who merely quotes the highest possible selling price, only to find that their homes won’t sell for months or even years.
How will you market my home? Your listing agent should be able to provide you with a number of specific ways he or she will market your home. An agent who glosses over marketing efforts in his or her presentation may not do all he or she should do to sell your home. Expect your listing agent to tell you exactly all of the means he or she will use to sell your home.
How will you communicate with me? This is a very important question that most homeowners often overlook. You should not only ask how the agent will communicate with you, but also how often he or she will contact you. Today, many people prefer texts to phone calls, and some people prefer e-mails to texts or phone calls. It’s vitally important that you and your listing agent agree on a communication method that will meet your needs. A quality listing agent will accommodate your communication preferences, not the other way around.
How much is the commission? Some people are afraid to discuss “money issues” up front and may be a little surprised at the closing or when they receive the listing contract. People selling homes should get this issue out of the way before any contract is signed. Paying a fair commission not only provides an incentive for agents to sell your home, but it also provides the listing agency with sufficient incentive to properly market your home.
Now that you’re thinking about listing your home, call Landmark Realty Services at 304-842-5298 to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced listing agents.
We’re not the biggest real estate agency around, but we pride ourselves on being a family-owned business and providing our clients with exemplary service every step of the selling or buying process.
Call us whether you are selling your home or searching for a home to purchase in north central West Virginia.
