Be wary of picking someone you’re too close to. You’ll spend a lot of time with your agent, so you need to be able to have serious conversations with them and be confident in their negotiation skills.
Here are 7 questions to ask a potential real estate agent or consultant.
1. What percentage of your clients are sellers (versus buyers)?
Agents who mostly work with buyers will have a different set of skills from those who primarily represent sellers. You want to make sure this person is an expert at knowing how to land a home in your desired neighborhood.
2. In which neighborhoods do you primarily work?
You want someone who can spout off neighborhood stats like a true local. Your agent doesn’t just need to know the market valuations in Nairobi, they also need to know the valuations for each specific neighborhood.
3. Will I be working with you directly?
In other words, will your agent handle all aspects of the transaction or will they delegate some tasks to a sales associate or administrative assistant? A knowledgeable assistant can be invaluable, but you want to make sure you can connect regularly with your agent.
4. Do you work full time or part time as a real estate agent?
Many agents work part time — and that’s fine. But if you expect them to respond to your queries in a timely manner, it’s worth asking how available they can be when you have questions or want to tour a property — especially if your schedule isn’t very flexible.
5. How many home sales have you closed in my desired area?
Success counts. You want someone who has a proven track record of closing deals.
6. How many other buyers are you representing now? How many sellers?
Hint: The busiest agents often are also the most efficient.
7. How many years of experience do you have?
Experience and continuing education typically make for better agents. RE/MAX agents are continually undergoing training through momentum and RE/MAX University.
Picking a real estate pro is a key decision in the home-buying (and selling!) process. With so many real estate agents out there, you can be certain RE/MAX agents will guide you from the start to the end of buying or selling.