There are many steps that may need to be taken in order to ready a home for market to achieve top dollar. First and foremost, who is your real estate professional? How do you ask the right questions to identify and understand if that handsome masked man is the right one for the gig?
Just ask. Come prepared to the interview with a set of questions, the obvious questions should come from vetting said real estate professional, marketing, timeline, previous experience, what sets you apart from the pack? What is your communication style (email, phone, text… none at all.)?
As your questions are presented take notes, more questions will come to mind with every answer, taking notes will allow everyone to stay on task and not waste time during the interview. There are many resources that can be of use when deciding which questions to ask, be true to what is important to you, do not sell yourself short. Here are a few to get you started: Do you have experience in listing this type of home? What obstacles do you think we may run into? Do you have a list of recommended vendors? Why is real estate your career?
Once the business questions have finished there should be time to ask personal questions, family, recreation or maybe even what they dream to be when they grow up. This may be more important than the business side of the interview. Getting to know the person who will be helping you through a major transition is key, this is the trust factor of the relationship, if red flags start popping up as you get into the personal side of life consider a change.
Lastly, I will ask you to think of intangibles. What traits are at the top of your list? Tenacity, grit, intelligence, curiosity, empathy… this list can run wild, select your top five, through the interview process keep these fresh in your mind, this can make the largest difference in your listing experience.
Taking all of this into consideration you should feel comfortable and confident in the broker of your choice. The next steps…are found in #2 of the Steps to Listing Success Series, published weekly.
