Five things to ask a real estate agent

Selling your home is a major decision, and so is choosing the agent to help you complete that transaction. Ask your family and friends for recommendations, then interview with several candidates and ask these questions.

What’s your background? 
You want a seasoned real estate professional with hundreds of transactions under her belt, right? That combination is appealing, but you may do well with a rookie agent who has sales and negotiation experience from another industry.

How will you market my house?
Ask for examples of how he or she has promoted other properties. Walk around your house with the prospective agent and see if he or she suggests ways you can improve your home’s presentation.

When can I expect my house to sell?
No agent has a crystal ball to see into the future. However, the agent will know the average length of time his or her listings stay on the market. From that, you should get a rough idea of when to expect a sale.

How close are your sales prices to your asking prices?
If an agent likes to price high and sell low, this question should reveal that. Of course, conditions in your market could make this question less important. A hot market, for example, might see sales prices over asking prices for most properties.

Can I talk to past clients?
Even if you got the agent’s name from a friend, it’s important to talk to other clients. These references more than anything else will give you a true sense of what it’s like to work with an agent and how the agent’s style may or may not work for you.

Just as you turn to a lender for mortgage expertise, so should you consult a real estate agent for advice about selling your property.