Atascadero Real Estate - Templeton Real Estate - Paso Robles Real Estate

This will give you an idea of how much experience the agent has. You may not want to list your home with an agent who just got their real estate license last month. There is a tremendous amount of turnover in the real estate sales business, especially in the first two years. Some new agents are sharp, but in general, an agent with several years experience under their belt may be best able to serve you.

You want an agent that routinely sells homes like yours. Agents usually tend to work in certain price ranges. For example, if your home was worth $500,000, you wouldn't want to list with an agent who primarily sells homes in the $2,000,000 range (or vice versa). That agent's clientele typically would not be interested in your home.

Look for an agent who is active in your area and price range. Also look for an agent that sells at least a few homes each month. An agent that is actively selling will be sharper and more practiced, more familiar with the market, and better prepared to represent and advise you.

This is also commonly referred to as "days on market". A good agent should know this information without even having to think about it. This information can serve as a guide in setting a rough schedule for your move.

An agent with a solid marketing plan should sell their listings faster than the market average. This will also indicate how knowledgeable the agent is about pricing, because homes that aren't priced properly will take much longer to sell (if they sell at all).

Again this question is one that a sharp agent will readily know. The answer will also tell you a lot about the market conditions in your area. For example, if only 30% of the homes put on the market successfully sell, you'll know that you're in a very competitive market.

A good agent should be considerably better than average on this. While no agent ever sells 100% of the listings that they take, this can be an indication of how knowledgeable they are on pricing, their ability to adapt to changes in the market, and how well they communicate with their clients.

This is expressed as a percentage. For example, if the agent's ratio is 94%, this would mean that on average, a home listed by the agent for $100,000 would sell for $94,000. Compare this ratio to the average for your area. You can obtain this and other information by calling your local realty board.

Some agents employ an assistant or staff. This often means better service, and it can be an indication that the agent treats selling real estate as a serious business. By employing someone to handle the small details, the agent may be able to devote more time to serving your needs.

However, be sure you know up front how much involvement you can expect directly from your agent, and how much is usually handled by someone else. It may be fine that most of your interaction after the listing is with an assistant or other staff member as long as you are kept apprised of exactly what is being done to get your home sold, and have good lines of communication.

Many top agents will provide you with this without your even asking. Remember, you are interviewing someone for the job of handling one of your biggest assets. Do not hesitate to check them out thoroughly.

Have the agent explain step-by-step exactly what they plan to do to find qualified buyers for your home. Every agent will put your home in the MLS system and throw a sign in the yard. Look for an agent that utilizes aggressive and innovative marketing techniques to give you an advantage over the competition.

As a rule, commissions are not fixed and are negotiable by law. You want to get the best deal you can, but be careful. Most top agents are very reluctant to cut their commission much. Beware of an agent that agrees to a big up front reduction in their commission, it probably means that they don't plan on spending much time or effort on selling your home in the first place. A good agent can be worth every penny that you pay them.

The agent should be prepared to suggest a price or price range for your home, and explain to you exactly how they came up with it. They should have a computerized market analysis of homes similar to yours that are available, under contract, and recently closed. Watch the agent carefully here, this is an area where you can really gauge their experience and ability.

The listing agreement should specify a beginning and ending date. There is no set rule here, it depends on the average time to sell in your area. Unless the agent has a compelling reason why your sale should take longer, the average time to sell in your area plus a month or two should be adequate. The agent deserves a fair shake, so be sure to give them enough time to get the job done.

A competent agent should be able to quickly complete a net sheet to determine what your net proceeds will be at closing after all of the costs of selling and your mortgage (if any) have been deducted. This is another area where you'll want to watch the agent closely. An experienced agent should be able to do this in minutes and confidently explain what all of the costs associated with selling are.

Clear communication between yourself and the agent is critical for a smooth transaction. The agent should have a system for keeping you abreast of the progress of your sale, be it by phone call, letter, fax, etc. The agent or a competent assistant should be available to you at all reasonable hours and should have a pager or cellular telephone.

A home that is properly prepared and staged will always sell faster and at a higher price. The agent should provide you with tips and suggestions on how to accomplish this. A good agent will give you honest recommendations, even at the risk of offending you.

Even though you do your homework, it is possible that you will list with an agent that drops the ball on handling your home. The top agents, the ones who provide quality service and are confident about it, will usually offer you a guarantee. Many will agree to cancel the listing contract if a problem arises and you are not happy. Just make sure to be fair with the agent and give them the benefit of the doubt.

Beware of an agent that doesn't have some questions for you as well. A sharp agent will begin by asking you a series of questions in order to fully understand your situation. Only then can they advise you on the best course of action to take.




Greg Malik
Greg Malik Real Estate Group
7450 Morro Road
Atascadero, CA 93422
(805) 466-2540