When selling your home, you place a great deal of trust in your listing agent. While your agent is required by law to act solely in your interest, you have to trust that they have the experience, drive, and skill set to deliver a successful real estate transaction in a timely manner.

Questions to ask a potential agent

The most successful sellers will interview several prospective agents. Conversely, the best agents are very selective about their clients. Just as you're sizing up a good fit, the real estate agent will likely be interviewing you as well.

The most common question I’m asked is, “How long have you been in the business?” While experience is important, many agents burn out over time. A better question to help gauge your likelihood for success is “What is your average list-price-to-sales-price ratio in this area?” An agent that knows the market in your neighborhood can help you set a reasonable asking price. Then, with proper negotiating tactics, they close the transaction quickly. Our group of agents have a track record of negotiating sales prices that are very close to list prices.

Check references

A good agent should have references to backup every claim they make. Remember, this is a relationship built on trust. But as the trope goes, “Trust but verify!” Anyone can claim that they’re honest, aggressive, available, and a strong negotiator. The best indication of the strength of an agent is what previous clients have to say.

How to sell a house

Once you’ve settled on your agent (hopefully a member of our team) the real work begins. While every transaction is slightly different, the typical home sale will involve setting your asking price, staging your home for sale (link to /sellers/staging-services/ ), marketing the listing, showing it to interested buyers, fielding offers, negotiating the final sales price, dealing with inspections, and closing the transaction.

The most common steps in selling your home usually include: