Tips for finding a great REALTORŪ
When it comes to such a big investment, it pays to choose
your REALTORŪ just as carefully as you choose your home. Here
are some rules of thumb to follow:
Make
sure the agent is licensed.
To sell real estate in Illinois, a
person must obtain a license through the
State of Illinois by completing a minimum standard of education,
examinations and experience requirements.
Look
for the REALTORŪ logo.
Only real estate
licensees who are members of the National Association of REALTORSŪ are
properly called REALTORSŪ. They proudly display the REALTORŪ "R" logo on
their business card or other marketing and sales literature. REALTORSŪ
are committed to treat all parties to a transaction honestly, adhere to
a strict Code of Ethics, and are expected to maintain a higher level of
knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate.
Talk to friends and family.
One of the easiest ways to narrow
your search is to people you know.
Check local listings.
Look for REALTORSŪ in your area or contact a local real
estate agency. Once you have narrowed your list, you are ready to set up
a listing presentation.
Interview at least three agents.
These interviews
allow you to meet with local real estate licensees to gain insight into their
experience, capabilities and personalities to determine the best match
for you.
Some questions to ask:
Do you
have an active license in good standing?
What
professional designations do you hold?
Who do
you represent (the buyer or the seller)?
Do you
belong to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS)?
What
have you listed or sold near this neighborhood lately?
What is
your business philosophy? (Do you offer full service, or
will I assume some responsibilities?)
How
much experience do you have?
Do you
have a referral network of home inspectors, lenders, contractors, etc.?
Questions home sellers should ask:
How
many homes have you sold in the past year?
How
long were they on the market?
What
was the average sales price in relation to asking price?
What
kind of marketing approaches will you use to sell my home?
Other questions:
Will
you represent me exclusively or will you represent both the buyer and
the seller in the transaction?
What
type of support and supervision does your brokerage office provide you?
What is
your business philosophy?
How
will you keep me informed about the progress of my transaction?
Could
you please give me the names and phone numbers of your three most recent
clients?
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