Choosing the Right REALTOR®

When you decide to sell your home, there are many real estate agents to choose from.  How do you know that you are choosing the right Lake of the Ozarks Realtor?  Do the research and ask the right questions!  The last thing you want is to be stuck in a contract with a real estate agent that lacks expert representation and is not working hard to sell your home!  

Here are 10 questions from House Logic* that will be very helpful when interviewing agents.

1. How long have you been selling homes?  
2. What designations do you hold?Designations like GRI (Graduate REALTOR® Institute) and CRS® (Certified Residential Specialist), which require that agents complete additional real estate training, show they’re constantly learning. Ask if agents have designations and, if not, why not?
3. How many homes did you sell last year?  Agents may tout their company’s success. An equally important question is how many homes they’ve personally sold in the past year; it’s an indicator of how active and aggressive they are.
4. How many days on average did it take you to sell homes?  Ask agents to show you this data along with stats from their local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) so you can see how many days, on average, their listings were on the market compared to the average for all properties in the MLS.
5. How close were the asking and sales prices of the homes you sold?  Sometimes sellers choose their agent because the agent’s suggested listing price is higher than those suggested by other agents. A better factor is the difference between listing prices and the amount homes actually sold for. That can help you judge agents’ skill at accurately pricing homes and marketing to the right buyers. It can also help you weed out agents trying to dazzle you with a lofty sales price just to get your listing.
6. How will you market my home?  The days of agents putting a For Sale sign in the yard and hoping for the best are long gone. Look for an agent who does aggressive and innovative marketing, especially on the Internet.
7. Will you represent me exclusively?  In most states, agents can represent the seller, the buyer, or both in a home sale. If your agent will also represent buyers, understand and consent to that dual representation.
8. How will you keep me informed?  If you want weekly updates by email, don’t choose an agent who plans to contact you only if there’s an offer.
9. Can you provide references?  Ask to talk to the last three customers the agent assisted. Call and ask if they’d work with the agent again and if the agent did anything that didn’t sit well with them.
10. Are you a REALTOR®?  Ask whether agents are REALTORS®, which means they’re members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR). NAR has been an advocate of agent professionalism and a champion of homeownership rights for more than a century.

*http://buyandsell.houselogic.com/articles/find-best-real-estate-agent-sell-your-house/

We hope this list is helpful to you and will match you with the right real estate agent.  We would love the opportunity to meet you, discuss your needs and answer these questions!! We provide the Strongest team of Realtors in the Lake of the Ozarks region and provide our clients with service that is second-to-none!! Whether you are purchasing a new home, second home, investment property, or selling home. Our team of real estate professionals has your interests at heart and strives to establish long-term relationships with our clients. 

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Gattermeir Davidson Real Estate, LLC

752 Bagnell Dam Blvd., Suite A

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Office | 573.365.1555

Fax | 573.365.1766

Mobile | 573.746.0133

www.gotlakerealestate.com
www.gotlake.com