Choosing a Realtor® is the first big decision in buying or selling a home, as the right agent will make all the difference in your experience. Before signing any paperwork, have an educated conversation with the agent during which you can ask them some important questions. Start with the questions below to tell you whether this is the team you want to work with.

What to Ask a Realtor

Can You Tell Me About Your Professional Experience?

Work with an agent who has professional experience working with clients like you. Real estate is a unique business; you don’t just want to know how long they’ve had their license. Someone who has had their license for years may have never closed a sale. Ask about how many closings — sales or purchases — they have had in their career and how long they have worked in your area.

What Are Your Relevant Stats?

Real estate is a numbers-oriented business, which makes it easy to assess the quality of an agent. If you’re buying, ask how many purchases they have closed on behalf of their clients in the past year and whether they negotiated lower sales prices for those clients. If you’re selling a property, ask how long those homes were on the market and what their list-to-sales price ratio was. The ratio will tell you whether their clients received what they expected for their home.

How Do You Communicate?

Knowing your Realtor’s preferred communication method will help you know what to expect. You should know exactly how often they will be checking in with you to keep you in the loop. Ask if they will communicate the way you prefer, whether that is email, text, or phone calls.

What’s Included in Your Service?

A good agent will tell you upfront what to expect from them through each stage of the selling or purchasing process. They should be willing to put into writing what is included in their service. They should be upfront with you about what percentage of commission they will charge for this service.

The team at RE/MAX Real Team Realty is based in Ashland, KY, and they are the residential real estate experts of Boyd County. Their results-driven team utilizes industry knowledge and the latest technology to achieve your goals. Contact them at (606) 325-0407 to talk with a Realtor today.