There are no two similar listing agents. Each agent provides various degrees of services, and each agent has a unique working style, amount of expertise, and personality. This is why it’s crucial to consult several agents to find the perfect match. It’s an important first step in avoiding misunderstandings and ensuring that both parties are aware of their duties ahead of time.
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Best Questions to Ask Listing Agents
Following are the most crucial questions to ask a listing agent:
1) What services do you offer?
The first question to ask a realtor should be regarding the services they offer. This question lets you know what responsibilities the realtor will be taking care of. Depending on the commission fee, listing agents offer different services.
Below are some of the standard services that most listing agents provide.
- Comparative market analysis
Providing a comparative market analysis is one service that is provided by every listing agent. This helps in setting a price for your property
- Showing assistance
The majority of respectable agencies will conduct the home showings themselves or have a member of their staff present. This makes it easier on the seller’s end to close the deal on the house. - General advice
Lastly, providing general advice is also part of the services provided by a realtor. Giving general advice to the clientele is part of every type of realtors’ service package.
2) Are the charges flexible?
The second question to ask a listing agent is if their charges are flexible or not. Most homeowners prefer selling the house themselves because of the high listing agent fees.
In the case where a listing agent is hired and you are unsuccessful in negotiating a lower commission, the following are some things that might convince them.
- Fewer services
Asking the listing agent to exclude some services can convince them to accept the low commission percentage. - Open House Schedules
If you’re willing to schedule the open house days according to the listing agent, they will offer a discount on the commission.
- Sellable home
If the property is in a popular neighborhood, the listing agent will take the lower commission as it’ll take less time to find a buyer.
3) What experience do you have in this location?
When hiring a listing agent, it’s important to ask them if they have experience in the location of the property or not. If they’re new to the business, they should be part of a team led by an experienced local agent who can guide them through the sale.
When asking about experience, look for agents who know the neighborhood and its nearby attractions and someone that can demonstrate the perceived market value of certain features of your home. Get the idea from the Lahore Smart City.
4) What are your working hours?
This is yet another extremely important question to ask a listing agent before hiring them. Sellers want the listing agents to be available all the time. However, that is not possible and most listing agents will tell their work hours. You can easily contact them between those hours. In the case of urgent business, you should hire a listing agent who always has an assistant or backup if they are unavailable.
5) How do you plan to market the home?
Another important question to ask when hiring a listing agent is to ask them their marketing strategy. Every listing agent has a different tactic to market the property. This is why you should ask them in advance about how they tend to find buyers for the property. With today’s technology, it’s best to list the house online. If your listing agent is not familiar with online marketing tactics, they should at least be experienced in physical marketing strategies.
6) What are the contract’s cancellation policies?
One of the most important final questions to ask a real estate agent is about the cancellation policies of the listing agreement. A skilled agent should go over their usual contract with you and answer any queries you might have. Most listing contracts have an expiration date between 30 to 180 days. But in the case of canceling the contract, you should make sure that there are no hidden clauses and read the fine print to avoid paying any cancellation fees.
Author Bio
Muhammad Junaid is a CEO of VM Sol, senior Analyst, and Search Engine Expert. Extensive experience being an IT Manager in GreyBricks Marketing – Capital Smart City. Work for years with local and international enterprises. Also, represent well-known brands in the UAE.
