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Do you need a real estate specialist that understands the business of both subletting or selling your house and knowing detailed information about houses on the market in another neighbourhood? If you do, it’s important that you find someone who’ll keep your move stress-free as they present knowledge.

Questions to Ask a Potential Real Estate Agent

Whether you’re in the market for a new home or need help selling your current home, an experienced real estate agent makes the process easier. Often, you may have a family friend in the business but you may not want to go that route as it’s best to keep things professional since you need to feel comfortable stating your opinions, even if it means disagreeing sometimes. In order to get the best real estate agent for your needs, remember to ask potential real estate agents these questions.

• How long have you been in the real estate business? While this answer may vary, homeowners need to feel comfortable letting someone else handle deals about one of the most important decisions in their life.

• What kinds of properties does your company handle? Do you specialise in residential property for sale, either valuing or selling it or can you assist me in finding renters and subletting it? Do you offer other services like scouting out new homes in the area before other agents hear of them so that we get the best pick of the houses?

• How do you usually market “your” houses? Check and see that the agent has a variety of both online ideas and actual open houses. See what the agent’s ideas are for you to “stage” your house or fix it up and market it with all the trimmings in time for an open house. How many photos do you typically put up on your website and do you employ a professional photographer that takes them?

• Will you be working with me the entire process or do you have lots of assistants? While larger real estate companies do employ efficient assistants, some clients prefer working with the same agent the entire process. Reputable companies may feature one agent that configures your current home’s value in the current market and one that excels at actually marketing and selling your house. Some real estate companies even help you find sub letters and act as a property manager for your tenants.

• Would you only be representing me or do you ever represent the buyer as well if I’m selling mine? Generally, homeowners want their own realtor though you can do dual representation, it can get sticky.

• How will we communicate throughout the process? This is extremely important, especially if an offer comes up on a house, and you only have hours to make a bid, otherwise you may lose it. Therefore, ask what’s worked in the past, such as cell phone contact, email, or faxing offers at work and formulate a plan based off of that.

Selecting a real estate agent is a key decision when you are buying or selling your home. You want to find one that puts your needs above everything else and works to meet your goals.