What to Ask Your Listing Agent
Thinking about selling your house? What should you ask a listing agent? Call Jenny today and find out more, 406-570-5869.
I am helping an out-of-state friend find a real estate agent to sell her house. She asked me what questions she should pose to a potential listing agent. Here are some questions that I suggested . . .
How much is the agent’s commission? The commission rate will be established in the listing agreement, between the seller and his/her listing agent, before the house is put on market. Typically, a REALTOR® is paid a percentage of the sales price. The seller does not pay an agent until the property is sold. The commission comes directly out of the proceeds of the sale and the title company disperses funds upon closing. All other real estate agents involved (buyer’s agent and referral agent) are paid out of the listing agent’s commission.
Will the agent provide a free comparable market analysis (CMA)? This helps to determine the market value of your property.
What is the average list-to-sale price for our market? In other words, how much is a house listed for compared to what it actually sells for?
What is the average days on market (DOM) for this type of property? It’s nice to have an idea of how quickly or slowly your market is moving. Knowing this helps you to gauge if your house is priced correctly. If it takes much longer than the average DOM for your house to sell, the property may be over priced.
What does the agent do to market the house? Or what is her/his marketing strategy?
You can ask your agent if they help with staging, or have some tips to prepare for showings and open houses.
Once the agent has walked through the house, you can invite him/her to give you feedback on how the house shows and if there is anything she/he suggests to make it more appealing to a buyer.
It may be helpful for you to be prepared for questions your agent may ask. Such as . . .
How much lead time would you like before a showing? Many people request 24 hours notice or night before notice. Some people are able to show their houses on short notice. It’s entirely up to you.
While state requirements regarding COVID will vary, your agent will probably ask what your level of comfort is and what type of precautions you expect showing agents to take. Some of the precautions you can request are requiring people to wear booties over shoes and socks, sanitize their hands before entering, put on fresh disposable gloves, wearing a mask... I know some listing agents who will go to a house before an appointment to turn on all the lights and make sure doors between rooms, to garage and basement are already open to minimize touching of surfaces. What is your listing agent willing to do? Most agents that I know already have stocks of masks, gloves, booties and sanitizer and will have these items at the front door with a sign explaining the requirements for entry.
Have questions of me? Give me a call today and let me know if you need help finding an agent. I service Livingston, Bozeman, Belgrade, Manhattan, Three Forks, Cardwell, Whitehall, Butte and Anaconda in Montana. I have great connections outside of those areas and would be honored to help you find an agent.
