Here’s what to look for when you’re ready to start interviewing agents to list your home for sale

You’ve made the decision to put your home on the market, but now what? The first thing you need to find is a knowledgeable, experienced real estate agent to help you with all the other myriad decisions you’ll need to start making now that you’ve decided to sell.

But where to begin, and what qualities should you be looking for in the person who you’ll charge with helping you sell what is likely the single largest and most valuable physical asset you own?

Recommendations from family, friends, and neighbors

The question of where to start is relatively simple – many people ask their friends and relatives if they have any recommendations for realtors they might have used in the past. Endorsements from your trusted inner circle are a great way to get a few names of potential real estate agents. If Aunt Jody gives the realtor that sold her home her personal seal of approval that’s as good as gold. Word-of-mouth referrals are the best kind of advertising because it means the endorser feels good about the level of service they received and the results the realtor provided.

Expanding the circle a bit by asking for recommendations on neighborhood social media groups is another great place to pick up a few names, particularly because your neighbors own homes in the same geographic area as you! Pay particular attention to the names of realtors recommended by multiple neighbors. If more than one person names the same agent, that might mean that agent is very familiar with your neighborhood and he or she might be exceptionally knowledgeable about the area with lots of insight into how best to market your property.

Pay attention to your mailbox

You might also find an agent by taking note of any marketing materials a realtor sends you via the mail. Agents often market to potential customers in the geographic area in which they specialize. This is known in the real estate industry as “farming,” and realtors who sell a lot of property in one particular area try to cultivate more business by letting homeowners in that area know how successful they’ve been for their clients in the same neighborhood.

Once you’ve gathered a few names, reach out and talk with a few of those realtors to see what they’re like and how well their personality meshes with yours. If you like what you hear, set up an appointment with two or three and have them come out to your home to talk in greater detail.

The interview: Seven things to look for in a good realtor

During your initial phone conversation, a good real estate agent should have gleaned some basic information from you about your reasons and motivation for wanting to sell your home, and after the call, they likely did some research about your property via various public records to get specific details about your home. A good realtor should be prepared when they meet with you that first time with…

1. A comprehensive listing presentation: Good real estate agents take the information they’ve gathered from you and their research and prepare a presentation that tells you about them, their company, why they believe they can provide better results for you than other realtors you could choose, and how they plan to market your home. Everything in this presentation should emphasize to you how they plan to deliver the results you’re expecting to reach your ultimate goal – selling your home.

2. A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA): The realtor should be able to provide a range of how much they believe your home could sell for by presenting you with a detailed CMA. This analysis compares properties that have sold recently in your area that are similar to your property based on factors like your home’s square footage, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and any amenities (e.g. a swimming pool), etc. By comparing these homes with yours, making allowances for any differences between those homes and yours, and sharing with you their knowledge about the current conditions of the real estate market in your area, a good realtor can determine and suggest a price range for your home once it goes up for sale.

3. A marketing plan: Every real estate agent is going to list your property on at least one Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is a detailed database of properties available for sale on a local and state level. They’ll also likely talk about the importance of syndicating your property to the big real estate portals (Zillow, Redfin, Trulia, etc.), as well as using photos, flyers and brochures to market your home.

Good agents go the extra mile and have a plan that includes all of the above (including not just photos, but good, professional images taken by a photographer), but also potentially a video tour, 3D walkthrough, 2D floor plan, staging the home with decorative items or furniture, social media posts or ads, and scheduling networking events with other top local agents to share your property with them. A good agent will have a comprehensive marketing strategy designed to sell your home quickly for the highest price.

4. A desire to keep you informed: Good agents should always keep you in the loop about the process of selling your home from start to finish – from scheduling a time that works for you to take photos, to working with you to have open houses, to sharing feedback from other agents and prospective buyers, to discussing the status of offers made on your property. A good realtor will let you know how best to communicate with them by providing you with all their relevant contact information (cell phone number, work number, e-mail address, etc.), and they’ll ask you for your contact information and how you prefer to be contacted (phone call, text message, email, etc.). Selling a home can be stressful, and good detailed communication as you work through the process together can help alleviate those worries.

5. Honesty, Integrity, knowledge, experience, and professionalism: Few things are more important than treating people in an ethical manner, particularly as it relates to how an agent interacts with someone over something as personal and meaningful as the sale of their home. Good realtors adhere to the principles outlined in the National Association of Realtors® Code of Ethics – which demands that realtors treat clients fairly, honestly, and with integrity as they share their knowledge and experience in a professional manner.

If you’re interviewing agents suggested by family, friends, or neighbors, they likely wouldn’t have recommended someone who they felt didn’t have the above qualities. If you’re interviewing realtors who didn’t come with a personal recommendation, ask them to provide some testimonials from past clients or references from colleagues they work with so you feel comfortable they’ll deal with you fairly and honestly.

6. A company with a successful track record: There are two different kinds of real estate brokerages – independent or national franchises. You want to select a company with the resources to provide proper training for its realtors on how to properly handle real estate transactions and provide customers with the best results possible.

There are some fantastic independent real estate agencies in the marketplace that provide wonderful service for their customers, but…you probably knew a “but” was coming…for our money you will be served best by a national brokerage franchisee simply because the resources the national office provides simply cannot be matched by small, independent real estate offices.

Yes, we’re biased. The realtors in our office work for the local Weichert affiliate – Weichert Realtors | Hallmark Properties – a network of 20 real estate offices across Florida from Palm Coast, to Sarasota, down to Ft. Lauderdale. Our brokerage has been in operation for over 25 years and is part of the national Weichert network. Founded in 1969, Weichert is one of the largest providers of real estate-related services in the country.

7. A large network of business contacts: Another benefit of going with a realtor who works for a national brokerage is that they can better service your needs by leveraging a vast network of contacts, vendors, and business connections. If you’re selling your house because you have a new job in another state, it pays to have a network of agents across the country that your realtor can refer you to help you find a new home. If you need a mortgage on that new property, a brokerage like Weichert can direct you to multiple partner lenders and help you find the best deal for a loan. Additionally, choosing a realtor from a large agency to list your property for sale means he or she can share your property with all the other agents in the Weichert office to more efficiently find a buyer.

BONUS: Choose an agent whose personality meshes with your own: Once you’ve completed the interview process, take some time to evaluate which agent best exemplifies the above points, but also reflect on and consider their personality as well. How did they make you feel? Did you enjoy talking with them? What kind of sense of humor did they have? Which agent did you relate to best? The decision to sell your home can be deeply personal, so it’s important to consider how well you get along with the realtor who will be representing you in this transaction.

Finally, one last shameless plug. Whether you’re selling your home or in the market to buy a home, or even build a new home, you can reach out to Deborah Winningham (407-463-4204) or John Telford (407-492-9954) here at Team AnnDavid. We’d be happy to help you with all your real estate needs.