5 Questions You NEED to Ask Before Hiring a Realtor

Here are our top 5 questions we think a seller should ask before they choose the Realtor they want to work with:

1. How many homes have you sold in my town and/or neighborhood in the last 10 years? How many homes have you sold in my price range?

It is important to know the agent you are working with is established and knowledgeable not only in real estate, but hyper-locally in your target market.  Here at Bev & Co., we have sold over 1,450 homes from Vanderveen to the Highlands, from large farms to new construction developments, from investment properties to relocation. Our scope of experience is vast!

2. What is your list to sale price ratio over the last 10 years? What is your average days on the market?

An agent's stats tell a lot about how proactive the agent is in getting a property sold. Our team hovers around 97% for a list to sale price ratio and consistently come in under 40 for average days on the market. This year we are sitting at 38 days. If you compare these stats up against the Columbia Board of Realtor's, you will find they are always far above average!

3. Describe your marketing plan- How is it different than the competition?

You are looking to find out if the agent you are interviewing markets actively or passively. Does the agent have a plan in place if it doesn't sell quickly? Do they differentiate their homes from the competition? See our full marketing plan here.  

4. What is the structure of your team?

It is important you know upfront who you will be communicating with at each point in the transaction and that you are comfortable with that setup. We at Bev & Co. work as a team, all specializing in a different area. Bev heads up prospecting and negotiating, Allen takes care of inspections, Cheryl handles marketing and contract to close details and Marla is your Client Care Manager. We all work together to create a seamless experience from day 1.  

5. How do you arrive at the recommended list price?

There are many ways to go about pricing a home- Hiring an appraiser, creating a comparable market analysis, even guessing! You have to be confident the agent you hire can accurately price your home and be able to defend that price come appraisal time. Bev & Co. likes to use the comparable market analysis approach to create a price range in which your home will sell within a reasonable timeframe, then work with the seller to determine their sense of urgency and goals in the sale of their home.

If you missed our Facebook Live "5 Questions You NEED to Ask Before Hiring a Realtor", be sure to watch it here: