10 things you should ask a real estate agent



10 things you should ask a real estate agent

Having the right real estate professional by your side can greatly improve your home-buying experience. A good rule of thumb is to interview a minimum of three candidates.

Here are 10 questions to ask during an interview:

1. Are you a full-time professional REALTOR®? How long have you worked full-time in real estate? What geographic areas do you specialize in? (Yes, we are full-time professional REALTORS!  Our team, The Win-Win Group, is lead by Joan Soboloff. She has worked full time in West St. Tammany for the past 7 years.)

2. Do you have a Website? What information can I find there? (Our web address is thewin-. You can search for properties, find information on featured properties, and research your home’s value and more….)

3. How will you keep me informed during my home search and throughout the transaction?   We will communicate via email as well as by phone. (We will set up a search that will automatically email you when a property that fits your criteria hits the MLX. If we come across something that looks like a great fit we will call you right away, so we need a good number to reach you immediately!!)

       4.     Do you have a staff or a team? If so, what roles will they play in my transaction? (Yes, our team is The Win-Win Group.  Joni is the lead agent and oversees our clients care. Our buyer’s agents assist our buyers in finding the right house. Our office manager/ transaction coordinator handles the details from contract to close.)

5. Will you show me properties from other companies’ listings? (Some real estate companies do offer their buyers’ agents a higher commission if they are able to sell “in-house” listings. In those instances, there can be added incentive to limit the range of homes you are shown. This may affect your home search and how much your agent’s fee will be.) (Our team believes in showing ANY available house.  Our goal is to educate our clients so they will know the right house when they see it no matter who is selling it! )

6. Will you represent me exclusively, or will you also represent the seller? May I have that in writing? (We have a fiduciary responsibility to our clients to put their best interest ahead of ours.  We have represented our clients singly and as a dual agent. Whether we act as a dual agent is a decision that our clients make.  It MUST be in writing.)

7. How will you get paid? How are your fees structured? May I have that in writing? (Traditionally the Realtor’s fees are funded by the purchaser and distributed by the seller. Our fees are negotiable and we are happy to put it in writing.)

8. What distinguishes you from other real estate agents? What is your negotiating style? (Our team strongly believes in being professional, honest, diligent, and trustworthy.  A group environment gives us an advantage in servicing your needs promptly.  Our name is our negotiating style: Win-Win!!!)

9. May I contact some of your recent clients as references? (Yes, we encourage you to ask and you may refer to our website for testimonials from past clients.)

10. Do you have a performance guarantee? If I am not satisfied with your performance, can I terminate our buyer agency agreement? (I don’t have a performance guarantee. However, I do have a large number of raving fans! If you are not happy with us please let us know and we can either adjust whatever is making you unhappy or terminate the agreement.)

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