When the time comes to sell the home you’re living in or to buy a new home (especially if this is your first time purchasing real estate), you’ll need to be sure that you’re working with a realtor that makes you feel comfortable. You need to be confident that this person is the best possible person for the job.

If this is your first time buying a home, you’ll need to be sure to hire a “Buyer’s Agent”. This little detail will mean that your realtor of choice is completely on your side during the entire transaction.  A “Seller’s Agent” is one who is completely on the side of the current homeowner, thus looking out for their best interest.  A “Dual Agent” works for both the buyer and the seller- some consider this a conflict of interest, but it all depends on the circumstances.  Remember, the seller pays all commissions at the time of closing, so your buyer’s agent will not cost you a dime.  By the way, most realtors are both buyers and sellers agents.

Now that you know what you’re looking for in a perspective realtor, it’s time for you to “interview” him or her.  Since this person is going to be working for you, you have the right to ask him/her a few questions, whether you are or aren’t paying for their services. Here are 5 questions that you might want to consider asking any potential realtor.

1. How long have you been a realtor? You want a “career” realtor, not a “part-time” realtor that does this a few nights a week or extra cash.  A career realtor lives, eat, sleeps and breathes real estate, ready to answers to any questions at any time- day or night.
2. How many homes have you bought/sold within the last year? You want a successful realtor, not one that’s been “down on their luck” and hoping you will break the terrible slump.  A realtor who can get the job done quickly and thoroughly is the right one for you.
3. What will happen if I’m not satisfied with the job you’re doing? This question will not only inform any potential realtor that you mean business, it will help you out down the road if you want to get out of the contract because their efforts have been sub par. You don’t want to sign a long-term contract (like 3 months) with no way to break your agreement.
4. If I were to talk to your last 5 clients, what would they say about you? From both the buyers and sellers angle, how were the clients treated, kept up-to-date, etc.  Were they happy?  If you’re concerned at all about this realtor’s morals and/or ethics (including work), give those last 5 a phone call- they’ll probably be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Think about it this way- if you have a bad experience somewhere, whether it’s a restaurant, store, etc., you’d want to tell the world.  Good experiences want to be shared just as much, but for a different reason.
5. Can I have that in writing? Get absolutely everything that you can in writing, as buying or selling a piece of real estate is a legal transaction that leaves no room for error.  Your potential realtor may have an assistant, transaction manager, or someone else to handle the details of their dealings, which is fine.  But this is what it all comes down to- it’s your property, not theirs.

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