Having the right real estate professional by your side can greatly improve your home-buying experience. A good rule of thumb is to interview a minimum of three candidates. Here are 10 questions to ask during an interview:
- Are you a full-time professional REALTOR®? How long have you worked full time in real estate?
- What geographic areas do you specialize in?
- Do you have a Website? What information can I find there?
- How will you keep me informed during my home search and throughout the transaction?
- Do you have a staff or a team? If so, what roles will they play in my transaction?
- Will you show me properties from other companies’ listings? (Some real estate companies do offer their buyers’ agents a higher commission if they are able to sell “in-house” listings. In those instances, there can be added incentive to limit the range of homes you are shown. This may affect your home search and how much your agent’s fee will be.)
- Will you represent me exclusively, or will you also represent the seller? May I have that in writing?
- How will you get paid? How are your fees structured? May I have that in writing?
- What distinguishes you from other real estate agents? What is your negotiating style?
- May I contact some of your recent clients as references?
Do you have a performance guarantee? If I am not satisfied with your performance, can I terminate our buyer agency agreement? (In the heavily regulated world of real estate, it can be difficult to offer a performance guarantee. Typically, agents will outline verbally what you can expect from their performance. Prudential Georgia Realty understands the importance of win-win business relationships: The agent does not benefit if the client does not benefit.)
If you are looking to purchase a home in the Greater Athens area, please feel free to use this link to Search Georgia MLS! While on the Georgia MLS you can search for homes, create a User account to save favorite property searches, email property searches to friends and family, or request more information!
