7 Questions You Should Ask a Potential Agent

Do you know what to ask a potential agent when you get ready to sell your home? Today I have a list of seven questions for you to consider.

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You’re thinking about selling your home and are going to hire to a real estate professional to assist you with the transaction—what should you ask to determine if an agent is right for the job? Today I’ll provide you with a list of questions that will help you find a competent agent to see your transaction through:

1. “Do you work with a team?” I am partial to teamwork since I have been on some sort of team for over 25 years. A team of agents will give a client a higher level of support than a person working on their own.

2. “How many years of experience do you have?” In our current market, you’ll need someone with experience. There are a lot of new people in this industry; while there is nothing wrong with being new, I expect that you’d feel more comfortable working with a seasoned agent.

3. “What is your marketing plan?” Have the agent write out a step-by-step plan of exactly what they are going to do to market your home to the most people possible.

4. “What kind of market is it currently?” Whether the market is currently a seller's or a buyer's market will impact your marketing plan, in turn impacting your ultimate sale.    

Whether the market is currently a seller's or a buyer's market will impact your marketing plan.

5. “What are your fees?” In real estate, you get what you pay for. Some cheap services only put your home on the MLS and do nothing else, wasting your money. Don’t disadvantage yourself by trying to save money on cheaper service.   

6. “How long is the contract?”

7. “Do you have a list of former clients I can speak with?” At Charlotte Mabry, I have pages and pages of testimonials from former clients that we are happy to provide you so that you can ensure I am the right agent for you.    

If you have any additional questions about this or are interested in buying or selling, please feel free to reach out to me. I would be happy to help.
 

Take the Dread out of the Home Inspection by Preparing Your Property in Advance

The inspection process doesn’t need to be something you dread. Today I would like to list just five of the many ways you can prepare your property ahead of time.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation

As sellers move along through the listing process, they will inevitably reach one particularly dreaded step: the home inspection.

Is it truly necessary for sellers to fear this point in the transaction? Actually, no. As long as you take the time to properly prepare your property, the inspection process should go smoothly. 

There are a few easy steps sellers can and should follow while preparing for a home inspection.

1. Clean things up. Making sure your home is neat and tidy is a great first step. Home inspectors are more likely to give a positive review when you follow this step.

2. Remove clutter from around important home systems. Home inspectors are going to need access to certain points in your home, like your heating and electrical systems, that may be currently obstructed. If this is the case, it is important to clear the way so that they can carry out the inspection without such impediments.

3. Keep your utilities turned on. The inspector will need your utilities to be running in order for them to verify that everything’s in working order.

The more things you do ahead of time to get your home in tip-top shape, the more likely you are to pass the inspection with flying colors.

4. Leave out keys for the attic, basement, or other typically locked areas of your property. Once again, an inspector must be able to access all areas of your home in order to provide a thorough assessment.

5. Clean up the property’s exterior. Cleaning out your gutters, trimming back trees and bushes, and making sure the outside of your home is in a generally tidy condition will be critical to obtaining a positive report.

The more things you do ahead of time to get your home in tip-top shape, the more likely you are to pass the inspection with flying colors. Beyond the things we have listed today, my team has a checklist of items we recommend taking care of in preparation for this process. If you are interested in obtaining a copy, please reach out. I would be happy to provide you with one.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.