When you are choosing an agent to list your home, they will be your guide, your informant, and your negotiator among many other things. You should not make this decision without doing some due diligence first. Before you sign on with an agent to sell your house, ask them the questions below.  While I want you to list your house with me, above that, I want you to make the best decision personally for you!

The more houses an agent sells, the more practice they have, and the better handle on the market they should have.  Someone who sold 50 house last year is going to have more current market knowledge than someone who’s been in the business for 10 years, but only sells 5 house per year. They’ve both sold the same amount of houses, but the one who sold 50 last year will have more insight into the current market. Maybe they are a new agent like I am.  In that case, what kind of supports have they put in place?  

Any agent can snap some pictures on their smart phone an list them on the MLS.  Is your agent going to go above and beyond to promote your house?

When you sign with me, or anyone in the The Eddie Alexander Group, you’re going to get professional photography and videography of your home and promotion on multiple social media pages.  Professional marketing goes a long way.  

This is a meat and potatoes question.  Your agent should know exactly what they can bring to the table for you.  They should be able to tell you about their systems and processes, the way they communicate, their customer service, and their negotiation skills and techniques. They should also be able to explain their industry knowledge, and their understanding of current market conditions. You shouldn’t have to prod too much on this question, they should come prepared.  

If they are not prepared to answer this questions, they probably do not take their job as a real estate agent seriously, and if they can’t take their job seriously, why would they take the sale of your home seriously?

I would wager to say that all seasoned agents have experienced some curveball comes up and threatens to destroy the deal.  Ask your potential agent to tell you about one of their war stories.  Your job after they tell you the story is then to analyze how you feel about their story.  Do you think that the way they handled the curve ball was appropriate?  Does it sound like they were making the best decision for their client, or the best decision for themselves? Your agent is working for you and for no one else. Your best interested comes before all others!

Maybe you’re not hitting it off with your agent, or you don’t think they are acting as a fiduciary to you.  What will happen next?  How can you get out of the contract? Hint… you should always have a way out!