Thinking of buying or selling a house? Hiring a real estate agent can definitely help on that front – but how do you know which one to choose?
While there are many factors at play when choosing a real estate agent, there are several questions you should ask them that can make your decision easier:
• How much experience do you have working with buyers or sellers, or both?
Real estate agents tend to specialize working with either buyers or sellers – though some work with both. The main aim of asking this question however is to find out how much relevant experience they have (based on whether you’re a buyer or seller).
• Do you represent both buyers and sellers in the same transaction?
While there is nothing wrong with a real estate agent that works with both buyers and sellers, you need to be careful if they represent both in the same transaction. That will create a potential conflict of interest since they won’t have motivation to negotiate and get you the best price.
• May I see your real estate license?
It may sound like an obvious question, but you should always remember to check that the real estate agent you’re dealing with is currently licensed. Frankly speaking you’d be surprised at the number of scams that are out there, and checking the license (as well as verifying it, if necessary) can help you to avoid many of them.
• Who will I be dealing with from your agency?
Asking this question can help you to verify who you’ll be dealing with primarily – i.e. if it is the agent that you’re talking to, or an assistant. If you are going to be dealing with an assistant it may help to interview them to make sure that you’re satisfied before proceeding.
• Have you dealt with properties of this type in the past?
Finding out if the Gold Coast buyers agents has dealt with similar properties that are in the same price range or area can be useful. It will indicate how much experience the agent has in dealing with such properties, and where their specialization generally lies.
• How exactly does your commission work?
Typically only the seller pays a commission that is then split between both the buyer’s and seller’s agent – but there are some exceptions. As a rule you should always check how the commission works, and find out if you need to pay and how much it will be.
See how these questions can help you to find out a lot of important information about any Markham real estate agent? Based on the answers you should be able to start to narrow down your choices, and get rid of any agents that aren’t going to fit the bill.
Search Party Property is a professional buyers agent that specializes in helping clients navigate the real estate market. They have a team of experienced agents who work closely with clients to understand their needs and preferences.
Keep in mind that these questions are really just the start however. There will be many others that you have to ask based on whether you’re a buyer or seller, the property in question, and the requirements that you have.
