Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Seller’s Agent
Your home is close to your heart. When the time comes to sell your home, for whatever reason, you want to make sure it’s in good hands. If you’re searching for seller’s agent in the Portland area, the last thing you should do is rush to hire the first broker you find.
Smart home sellers take the time to talk with multiple real estate brokers. Asking the right questions will get you the information you need to hire the best broker for your needs and goals. Here are the top questions you should ask before choosing a seller’s agent.
Question
How long have you been in business?
To start the conversation, ask your potential seller’s agent how long they’ve been in business. It’s a simple, common question, but it already gives you some good insight.
Real estate brokers who have been around for a while have several advantages. They have more experience and expertise as well as local area knowledge and connections.
Peggy Hoag helped her first client sell their home in 1991. She’s a born and raised, fifth generation Oregonian, so she knows the Portland area like the back of her hand.
How many homes have you sold in the area in the past year?
The average broker in the United States completes six transactions per year. At PEGGY HOAG REAL ESTATE, we close ninety transactions each year. Since we’ve been in business, we’ve sold over 2000 homes!
While there’s no right or wrong answer to this question necessarily, these numbers can speak volumes. You don’t want an agent who has hundreds of listings but relatively few sales. You want an agent who knows how to close.
Do you typically work in my price range?
Most real estate agents work across a wide variety of prices. However, there are advantages to working with a broker who specializes in homes in your price range.
A specialist will have in-depth knowledge about how to sell a home like yours for the optimal price. Plus, they’ll know exactly how to market your home to stand out amongst others in its price range.
PEGGY HOAG REAL ESTATE specializes in luxury home listings. You can take a look at some of our featured listings to get a better idea of the type of homes we sell.
How do you plan on marketing my home?
This is a very critical question. Marketing is key to outperforming the market in qualified buyer showings, net price, and days on the market.
Our syndicated broad based marketing at PEGGY HOAG REAL ESTATE places your home in front of local buyers as well as buyers moving to the area. Plus, our cooperating brokers are notified the minute your home becomes available.
There are two areas closely related to marketing that work together to sell your home quickly and at the optimal price:
Pricing
Pricing a home is part art and part science. To come up with an accurate, well-informed range of value, the pricing process involves:
- Comparing similar properties
- Making adjustments for differences among them
- Tracking market movements
- Taking stock of present inventory
Pricing a home correctly is key to netting the highest price of sale. If it’s overpriced, the home will sit on the market too long. If it’s underpriced, the seller will leave money on the table.
Ultimately, the market and competition will dictate the price. Only an educated guess can be made to value your home.
Merchandizing
The content of your home listing matters. This is what potential buyers will look at to get information about your home. It’s important for your house listing to be perfect!
At PEGGY HOAG REAL ESTATE, we use professional high-end photography and video to draw buyers to your listing. We produce well-articulated and strategic copy to attract buyers looking for exactly what your home has to offer. In short, we make your home look its best!
How will you keep me informed?
Communication is so important when it comes to selling a home. You need a broker who will communicate with you regularly.
At PEGGY HOAG REAL ESTATE, our team regularly communicates with you regarding:
- Offers and negotiations
- Inspections
- Contractor referrals
- Scheduling
- Real estate trends in your neighborhood
- And much more
What if I’m not happy?
Choosing a seller’s agent is a big decision. You want to be sure you’re getting the optimal sale price for your home. A solid, trusting relationship with your broker is key.
At PEGGY HOAG REAL ESTATE, we offer a satisfaction guarantee. Our contracts with our clients are at-will agreements. That means we work together because we both believe in each other. If that changes, either party may end the listing at any time.
Do you have any testimonials or online reviews I can check out?
If a real estate broker can’t provide proof that they’re trustworthy and reputable, that is a major red flag.
PEGGY HOAG REAL ESTATE has earned numerous testimonials from happy clients over the years. We also received nearly 50 reviews on Zillow with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5. With countless awards since 1991 and over $650 million in closed home sales, we feel most honored by our loyal clients and their happiness.
Talk To PEGGY HOAG REAL ESTATE Today
Let’s start the conversation! If you’re searching for a real estate seller’s agent, we’d love to talk with you about goals and how we can help you achieve them.
Take a look at our listings to see what your home could look like on the market with PEGGY HOAG REAL ESTATE. Contact us today to get started! We’re happy to answer all of your questions.