When you’re looking to move, either by selling your home or buying a new one, one of the first steps involves meeting with a Realtor®. Your agent will be the person who guides you through the process and acts as your lifeline throughout the buying or selling process. They will offer advice and work hard to put you in the best financial position possible. During your first meeting with a Realtor®, make sure you come prepared with the right questions to learn about the process. With a little preparation, you can both get off on the right foot and move forward with a clear idea of what the agent will do. Here are a few things to expect (and do) during your first meeting with a Realtor®
Be Prepared to Talk About Finances
If you want your first meeting with a Realtor® to be productive, then you need to have your finances in order. You can handle many of the preliminary financial questions on your own before you even find a real estate professional who you trust. If you are looking to buy a home: consider getting pre-approved for a mortgage. You should also figure out how much home you can afford to ensure that you don’t go over budget. Knowing these limits can help your Realtor® find houses to show you within your range and expectations. If you haven't been prequalified yet, right now is the perfect time to ask your agent if they have a lender that they recommend. If you are looking to sell your home quickly: find your deed, your old title policy, any surveys you've completed and a recent mortgage statement. You should also decide what timeline you are on and how eager you are to sell the property. This may involve some discussion with your significant other or siblings if you inherited a home. If you need to sell a home quickly, you'll want to price it more competitively. Right now housing inventories are so constrained that it's not difficult to sell a home quickly, at full price. Related: 5 Tips For Working with a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your House
Discuss Your Must-Haves With a Property
Along with the financial discussions around the home buying process, you should also decide what features and styles of a home are most important to you. Do you need a garage to park your prized vehicle? Do you want to be within walking distance of a school or workplace? Separate the must-haves from the would-likes so your Realtor® knows how to search on your behalf. During the meeting, your Realtor® will likely let you know whether these features are realistic. For example, your budget may not be able to handle a five-bedroom house or a house on the beach. Your Realtor® will recommend either increasing your budget or choosing features that are possible within your area. You can also create a list of deal-breakers, like a house that is next to the interstate or only has one bathroom. Your Realtor® will also let you know how realistic these are.
8 Questions to Ask a Realtor® for Your First Meeting
As you prepare for your first meeting with a Realtor®, create a list of questions that you want to ask them. These questions can dig into the home buying or selling process or they can focus on the Realtor’s® qualifications in particular. For example, you may ask the Realtor® how they plan to market your house and what recommendations they would have to prepare it for sale. You could also ask about their pricing strategy, current client base, and the experience with home types like yours. Here are a few questions for home sellers:
1. How many homes have you sold?
2. What is your "average days on market" over the last year?
3. How many years have you been in the business?
4. Have you ever had a complaint filed against you with the state?
5. What commission rate do you charge and what services does this price include?
6. What do you think is an appropriate list price for my home?
7. Are there any fees to cancel a listing agreement?
8. Have you sold many homes in this area?
Make sure you set aside enough time during this meeting to address these questions so you are fully prepared to move forward with your professional relationship. Related: What Do Real Estate Agents Do? And Why Do You Probably Need One
Come Prepared to Listen
Some people expect Realtors® to follow a list of demands and find their dream home – or to sell their home fast and at full price. The reality is much more complicated. If you are new to the buying or selling process, listen to the advice that your Realtor® provides. They likely have sold dozens (if not hundreds) of homes and know the market in your area. They can provide advice for staging your space or adjusting your home size expectations. Ask questions and then give your Realtor® space to answer them. Listen to their advice to you. You can even take notes if it helps you remember. Let them be the expert and follow their lead.
Find a Realtor® Who Meets Your Individual Needs
If you need recommendations for a Realtor® who can work within your specific needs, skip the Google search and use EffectiveAgents.com instead. EffectiveAgents will help you find a Realtor® who meets your specific needs based on their past performance. This increases the chances that your first meeting with a Realtor® will be just as productive as the rest. A bad Realtor® can make the home sale process miserable and cost you a lot of money. Look for Realtors® from a trusted source and make sure you find one who can really help you. Use Effective Agents to find a qualified Realtor® today.
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