Three Questions to Ask a Potential Real Estate Agent/Realtor

There are many decisions that go into buying or selling a property. One of the most important decisions a prospective buyer or seller can make is selecting their real estate representative.

A great real estate representative whether an agent or Realtor can greatly reduce the possible stressfulness of the experience. They also provide expert insight during the sales process and are a valuable asset at the negotiation table.

In the specialized land sector of the real estate industry not all representatives are created equal. This is the prime reason why you’ll want to be specific in selecting and hiring your real estate representative. In doing so here are three questions that can help you in the process.

How long have you been licensed in real estate?
Specifically find out how long they have been involved in the land market. The land market has specifics that are separate from the residential market. For example: do all property rights convey with the property at closing?
Length of time in the land market or real estate in general should not be an automatic disqualifier. Actually, newer agents/Realtors may work harder to get the transaction taken care of for you. If you decide to hire a newer agent/Realtor, make sure that they have experienced guidance within their organization to help guide them and you through the process as needed.

What relationships do you have in place to make sure my transaction goes smoothly?
One benefit of working with a professional agent/Realtor is that they’ll likely have an existing network of professionals to utilize during the selling or buying process. Professionals can include foresters, closing attorneys, lenders, graders, insurance agents, photographers, title specialists, and so on.
A professional agent/Realtor will also be able to prioritize which professionals will be needed and when.

How do you plan to market my property?
As a seller it is very important to get a full picture of the marketing plan from your potential agent. This plan could include mail marketing, Multiple Listing Services, social media, listing sites, direct agent marketing, signage, landing page, and of course word of mouth through agent connections.
Take your time when choosing an agent/Realtor. The more effort you put into selecting a professional agent/Realtor, the more you have to gain.