Hiring a real estate agent to sell your home is an important task. Most of us are far more skilled at answering questions when searching for employment than thinking of creative ways to interview a real estate agent to help us to sell our home. Since standard questions are often anticipated, they will provide limited insight into how a person thinks and functions. Because the sale or purchase of a home is the largest investment that most Americans will make, it might be prudent to go beyond the "standard" when evaluating who you select to provide service in this area.
Many home owners have limited experience with hiring real estate agents. The average home owner will only interview one or two agents within a 3-5 year period. The questions they are often advised to ask are fairly simplistic & usually flow along these lines:
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- How many homes have you sold?
- How long have you been selling real estate?
- How long will it take you to sell my home?
- Home Often will you Advertise my Home?
- How many Open Houses will you do?
While these questions listed above may address the nuts and bolts of the transaction, they will do little to give you insight into the nature of the individual you are hiring. Statistics can be manipulated and may not tell the whole story. For instance, a well trained newer agent with enthusiasm and passion may actually do a better job in marketing and selling a home than a cynical, jaded long time real estate agent who has collected a slew of accolades. Since you will be working with a real estate agent for a few months or considerably longer, it might be important to understand more about an individual than their statistics.
Sometimes, going off-track in your questions will yield an entirely different perspective of the real estate process and give a new dimension to your understanding of the service level you can anticipate during the duration of your contract. It may be helpful to intersperse quirky questions with commonly asked questions to truly enhance the experience of getting to know and rate any real estate professionals that you are considering. So, here are some "quirky questions" to spice up your next real estate interview and add a little more fun into the process too!
1. What aspect of your job makes it Fun to get out of Bed in the morning?
2. Describe Your Oddest Experience on the job to date.
3. What Would you like to be doing 5 years from now?
4. What's your source of Inspiration?
5. Define your idea of the "Perfect Real Estate Transaction."
6. Describe your idea of the "Perfect Client."
7. If you had the commission from the Sale of My house in your hand right now...what would you do with it?
8. What's the most important thing you've learned, heard or read about in the last month?
9. Who do you admire or look up to a role model or mentor?
10. How has your real estate career impacted your life?
11. What are you doing to do to make sure that I don't have to ask anyone else these questions with regards to selling my home?
Before you ask these questions...think about the responses you anticipate and what is important to you in selecting a real estate agent. Remember that a good agent will be evaluating you as well. This can be a fun and unusual way to conduct an interview. Be courteous and polite. Not every single question will be appropriate for every agent, but every question is sure to add a different dimension to the interview process!
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Lola Audu, is the Designated Broker & Owner of Audu Real Estate. Our company specializes in helping people buy and sell homes in the greater Grand Rapids, West Michigan area. You can contact us via e-mail @ info@auduhomes.com or by phone at 616-791-0511. Thanks for visiting our blog. Here are links to some of our most popular posts for you to enjoy!
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Lola - I laughed when I read this post. You are a brave soul...but I love it! I would be taken back a little if someone asked me these questions, but in all honestly, I would respect them. The answers to these questions would certainly give a seller the information that they'd need to hire the right agent.
Thanks for the chuckle, but more thanks for the great insight.
Lola,
Great. That's thinking outside the big old box. Your new questions will give the prospect a much better understanding of who he is dealing with. And who he should consider hiring for the job. Fully agree with the notion that the number of years in the business doesn't necessarily transfer into a competent agent.
Lola
God only knows that in this latest real estate cycle, you have to believe that what got you here, won't keep you here, and much less assure you that you will be here tomorrow. These are exactly the kind of stimulating questions that realtors need to be asked to get to the core of their being. Like Bryant said, I would love to hear the stuttering responses you'd receive when you asked them.
Great post!!!
Hi Esko...Thanks for your comment. We all need to start "re-thinking" how we've been "doing" real estate...sellers included.
Hi Vicky...I haven't been asked them either...but thinking about them in writing this post was an interesting experience! :)
1. What aspect of your job makes it Fun to get out of Bed in the morning?
Never knowing who or what I am going to come across...
2. Describe Your Oddest Experience on the job to date.
Dead Guy house (I don't think he was actually dead, but he didn't wake up with us stomping around the main floor, nor the dogs barking. Luckily he wasn't naked or anything)
3. What Would you like to be doing 5 years from now?
Riding around the world in my private jet...
4. What's your source of Inspiration?
My son.
5. Define your idea of the "Perfect Real Estate Transaction."
One were everyone walks away from the closing with a smile.
6. Describe your idea of the "Perfect Client."
Not afraid to buy or sell their property, and able to follow through with their commitments.
7. If you had the commission from the Sale of My house in your hand right now...what would you do with it?
Give it to my wife.... which might be why I don't have the private jet yet.
8. What's the most important thing you've learned, heard or read about in the last month?
The mortgage meltdown, and how it is affecting everyone in the market.
10. How has your real estate career impacted your life?
It has allowed me to spend more time with my family, even though I probably work more.
11. What are you doing to do to make sure that I don't have to ask anyone else these questions with regards to selling my home?
Let me show you this listing agreement and a performance guarantee.
Lane...I love it! I was thinking about doing a follow-up blog with some answers but you beat me to it. :) Great answers...Thanks for stopping by to read and comment.
Hi Bill, Thanks for your comment. Questions like this would provide a lively discussion after the initial "shock." The home owners response to the answers would also be very revealing.
Lola, I had a interview once to help a buyer. I almost sent my daughter, boy am I glad I didn't. The questions lasted a hour. But, we bonded and I sold them a house. Funny thing is they told me they wanted to look at over 100 homes. Yikes.
They made an offer on the first one they saw. It didn't appraise. So they made an offer on the 2nd one. It closed.
Lola
I agree
Scripts don't work. If you can talk about anything, and everything and then tie it all together the customer will feel much more comfortable. I like your perspective on this topic!
Lola, I don't list or sell houses but I do list and sell businesses, land, and commercial property. I always start a listing "interview" with small talk. I want to get to know the client and give them the chance to get to know me. I don't remember if these questions came up or not but they certainly wouldn't be off limits.
As for the best transaction: It has to be where everybody is smiling. A one-sided transaction can only hurt.
Bill Roberts
P.S. I forgot to tell you how much I enjoy reading your posts. this is just another great post in a long line of great posts.
Wow! You could do what Walter Sanford does and make a list on a piece of paper and add it to your presentation. If appropriate.
If you are off on the wrong foot in a presentation you could haul out the list and say "why don't you ask me some questions?" I've put together some different ones that I think you should ask every agent you interview.
It might just change the course of the evening.
I'm starting to talk to people that have been to my blog. They don't seem to have as many questions, because they "know me". I don't hold back much on either my public or member only posts... like that doesn't come through.
My favorite question was:
How many 220V outlets do you think a garage needs? I answered that it needed at least one per bay, with a minimum of two, preferably three. I sold them a house...
Hi Kimberly, Thanks for your comment. Yes, real estate is about relationships as well as sales...it's good to think about this at the beginning of the process.
Hi Joey, Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your comment.
Hi Todd...I've been asked variations of #8 & 10...but NEVER this entire list! :)
Hi Missy...Thanks for a very interesting comment. I wonder if the questions asked at the beginning actually ended up saving time in the end. Perhaps, the buyers were confident enough with your responses that they trusted you to understand their needs and goals...hence a faster sale. Just a thought....:)
Hi Allison, Thanks for your comment. These types of questions will reveal insights that just the "stats" and the "facts" will not.
Patsy, Thanks for stopping by. It was interesting to think about my answers to these questions...they could be valuable for more than just a listing appointment. :)
Hi Bill, Thanks for stopping by to read and comment. I'm thinking that "small talk" may be one of the most important parts of a presentation. It's a time when people can let their hair down and relax and relate on a personal basis. It can serve to aid in building a solid foundation of trust and mutual interest. Good sales people know this...& it's obvious that you utlize it very effectively. :)
My word Paul...What a brilliant idea! I hadn't thought of this. You're absolutely right that it would change the course of the interview. Thanks for stopping by and sharing that fantastic insight!
Hi Lane...Thanks for stopping by again...we've all enjoyed reading your answers! :) Now the question about the 220 Outlets is one I wouldn't begin to know how to answer. I'd tell them, I'd check with an electrician and get back to them as soon as possible. Kudos to you for knowing!
Thanks Don. Paul's suggestion is something I hadn't thought about. This list could be utlized in a number of ways by home owners and sellers.
Lola, an electrician won't know... unless he likes to restore cars.
;^ )
Lola,
I like those questions. It really gets down to the heart of the person.
Hi Patricia...That would be an interesting post! :)
Hi Lane...You're probably right about that! I love your tag line..."The Realtor® for Car People!"
Tammy...Thanks for stopping by to read and comment. These questions would make a very interesting listing appointment. :)
GREAT QUESTIONS HERE IS ONE TO CONSIDER HOW ABOUT QUALIFYING THE SELLER BEFORE YOU GO ON THE APPOINTMENT BY QUALIFYING THEM YOU WILL GET THE SELLERS OBJECTIONS PRIOR TO MEETING WITH THEM. ALSO BY DOING THAT YOU WILL SET YOURSELF APART FROM MOST AGENTS WHO SIMPLY SHOW UP.
RDLINDSAY
Lola - Those are great, and I think the buyers you give them to will be impressed you provided them. Great!
P.S. I must have been speed-typing when I commented. I hope the edit makes more sense!
Yep. Those first questions are the same ones they're all told to ask. They're pretty easy to answer once you have a few years and some success under your belt. Except that I can't understand how a seller would expect any agent to be able to honestly answer how long it will take to sell their house. In this market, sales don't come fast unless they're priced well below the competition.
I like your questions!
Your last line is the key to success...you to the seller... unless you are at least 5% below your competition we may never get any showings... and then go to the motivation.
rdlindsay
Lola, Thank you for the post and for sharing your list! I think it is a good idea;)
It's a Good Life!
Fran Rokicki, CRS, Clubnet~Mentor
Great list of questions. Thanks so much for sharing it.
Yes Greg...or perhaps even more fun to anticipate what you wish they'd ask so you could tell them. :)
Hi Gary, these types of questions can really enable people to have a meaningful conversation. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Dennis...It would be good to ask questions to qualify a seller. That would be a good blog post! :) Also like your thoughts about telling them what will be necessary to guarantee a quick sale...
Hi Tom, Thanks for your comment.
Thanks Lisa!
Thanks for stopping by to read and comment Frances.
Great post, I like your questions and might steal some of them for my clients.
John Thomas
http://DelawareMortgageLoans.net