How to shop for a listing agent

Question

I'm looking to sell a property for the first time and am investigating listing/seller's agents. This will be the first property I've sold. What are key things to look for when searching for an agent and to ask when inquiring with agents? How should I best vet an agent to find someone optimal? I have a few agents in mind that I will inquire with, but I am also open to suggestions if anyone has someone specific to recommend. The home is in Hampstead, NC near Wilmington.

Thanks!

Benjamin Cuddy · Answer

How would you gauge if an agent has a good network?

Janice Carter · Answer

Benjamin, when vetting agents, focus on their local market experience, marketing strategy and communication style. Ask how they plan to price and market your home, what their average days on market are and how often they will provide updates. Marketing is especially important in today’s market, so confirm that they use professional photography and ideally video tours. Also, view their current listings online to see how those properties are being marketed.

Brandon Vukelich · Answer

Start with seeing if anyone you know can refer a listing agent they have recently used in the Hampstead area and would recommend. Almost every listing I get was referred to me by someone in my sphere. You could also search for agents on Zillow or BP for ones that do volume in Hampstead/Wilmington. Zillow shows recent sales (listed and on a map) plus reviews.

Most average agents just do the "3 Ps"...Post in the MLS, Place a sign out front & Pray it sells. Definitely inquire about their marketing strategy. Super important for check...Review their last 4+ listings. How did the pics look, was there staging, drone pics, video, great/thorough marketing comments, etc.? I see so many half-assed listings posted every single day.

But it never fails, the sellers generally only ask me two questions: 1) How much is my property worth? 2) How much are you going to charge me? So every agent you interview will likely expect you to ask those.

Best wishes on your sale!

Abel Curiel · Answer

Key things to look for when searching for an agent:- Honesty and transparency... someone who isn't afraid to deliver hard truths about your idea on pricing, the property's condition/appeal, etc.- Resourcefulness: someone with a good network of buyers, other brokers/agents, attorneys, inspectors, lenders, title companies, contractors, etc. - A marketing plan that can be described thoroughly- Past client reviews and testimonials that reflect what the agent says during your meeting- Track record - someone with relevant sales experience and past sales

To best vet agents:- Ask them to explain how they market properties... dig deeper and ask follow-up questions as needed to get as many details as possible- Ask them how they'd price the property... listen to hear how they justify their recommendation- If there are any concerns you have (i.e. interior or exterior condition of the property, size of the property compared to recent comps, location, title concerns, etc.) ask the agent how they'd address these concerns- Check online reviews, social media pages, etc.

Getting recommendations is key so I'd recommend using BP's search feature to find previous posts about (or by) local realtors.

In my network of agents, the name Jessica Edwards has come up with respect to Wilmington, NC

All the best!

Abel

Caleb Brown · Answer

A few things come to mind. Is the agent fulltime? Track record? What's their listing plan? Have they sold in that neighborhood/city? You want someone that will give your listing attention, have sold in the area and knows what they are doing. You need someone that will have your needs first and get it sold.

Abel Curiel · Answer

Great question!

They should be able to tell you roughly how many contacts are in their database. A great agent systematically keeps in touch with their database of prospective homebuyers, prospective sellers, and other agents in their market.

Of course, quantity doesn't equal quality.

To know if an agent has a good network, have them tell you about how they grow and nurture their network. They might mention networking events, broker open houses, local MLS events/meetups, and the network within their current brokerage.

If your agent also contacts other agents/brokers via MLS sale records, they're taking a pro-active approach to expanding their network.

Andrew Glisson · Answer

It's all about the network. An agent with a good network is gold.