8 Questions To Pose Your Real Estate Agent in Grand Junction
When opting for the traditional route, securing a competent and trustworthy real estate agent is one of the crucial parts of the home selling process.
After all, the majority of the workload will be shouldered by the real estate agent.
They’ll list your home, provide guidance on staging, showcase your property, negotiate with your buyers, and manage the necessary paperwork — their expertise in these tasks elevates the overall experience.
But how can you be certain?
Here are 8 questions to ask your real estate agent in Grand Junction prior to making a hiring decision.
Note: Want to skip the headache of selling your home the traditional way? How about we buy your home directly for cash? Contact us at (970) 610-1001 to receive a fair cash offer!
1. Do you work as a real estate agent on a full-time basis?
You might be surprised to learn that there are over 2 million active real estate agents in the U.S. That’s a lot. It’s important to note that not all of these agents achieve success. In fact, a significant number of them work part-time or manage only a limited number of transactions annually.
Of course, you’d like to team up with a real estate investor who knows what they’re doing. You can gauge how much experience the agent has and how much time and effort they can put into selling your house by simply asking if they work full-time or part-time.
2. Do you have referrals from people you’ve worked with before?
If a real estate agent is legit, then they should be happy to give you the names of people they’ve helped before. We really suggest you ask for this.
Regardless of what’s true, most real estate agents will tell you that they have a successful track record… but to find out if it’s true, talk to folks they’ve helped before.
Did those clients have a positive experience? What aspects did they enjoy? What were their dislikes? This will provide you with valuable insights.
3. How long have you been a real estate agent in Grand Junction?
The number of years someone has been a real estate agent doesn’t guarantee the quality of service they’ll offer. Some new agents go above and beyond for their clients, while some tenured agents may only do the essential tasks.
But it is a useful indicator.
So, we recommend asking about their experience in Grand Junction as a real estate agent before deciding to hire them. You can then pose additional questions depending on their response.
4. How much is your rate?
An honest and transparent real estate agent will openly discuss their fees without hesitation.
They’ll be honest and straightforward about how much commission they anticipate from the sale of your home, and they should even be willing to negotiate with you.
If the agent doesn’t give you a straight answer to this question, it’s advisable to explore other options. Dealing with dishonesty is not something you can afford to do, especially given time constraints.
5. Do you work with a team?
There are excellent real estate agents who work with a team, and there are excellent real estate agents who operate independently.
This question may not directly determine whether you should work with the agent, but it will provide insights into their work approach and what you can expect during the process.
6. What’s your marketing plan?
The marketing stage in the process of selling your home is very important. The way an agent promotes your property will influence, at least in part, the level of interest from buyers, the number of offers you attract, and even the final selling price.
So ask the agent about his strategy for marketing.
7. How do you establish the asking price?
Each agent has their own approach for setting a home’s price. After analyzing comparable sales and establishing the true value of your home, they may either A) set a slightly higher price to maximize your returns or B) price your home a little lower to help it sell more quickly.
The agent should set a price for your home that matches with your needs, not just theirs. Therefore, pose this question to understand their approach and ensure they prioritize your best interests.
8. Will you also represent the buyer?
From the perspective of an agent, it is beneficial to represent both the seller and the buyer in a transaction, as it eliminates the need to split the commission with another agent.
Obviously, though, that can cause a conflict of interest and the agent might be thinking more of closing the deal than they are about helping you or the buyer. So it’s advisable for them to exclusively represent you in the transaction.
Final Thoughts
Finding a trustworthy real estate agent with extensive experience is more challenging than it may sound.
But by posing the questions above, you’ll gain a solid understanding of whether or not you wish to work with a real estate agent.
Pay attention to their responses, ask follow-up questions, and then make a decision.
And if you want to skip the headache of finding an agent altogether, give us a call at (970) 610-1001 and we can make you a fair cash offer on your home!