10 Essential Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent When Selling Your Home

1. What are your credentials?
   1. At the least, your agent should have a state license and belong to the local real estate trade association, because this means your agent will have access to the multiple listing service, or MLS, and can list your home far and wide.
2. How many sales did you close last year?
   1. While an agent’s past performance doesn’t guarantee a quick sale, a track record of success can at least give you the assurance that this professional knows what he or she is doing.
3. Do you specialize in this neighborhood?
   1. Having a local expert can be a huge advantage because she’ll know about any upcoming developments, plus plans for stores or other amenities that might affect the value of your home.
4. How do you arrive at the listing price?
   1. Make sure your agent is knowledgeable about the market and what other similar homes have recently sold for to help you arrive at the right price.
5. Whom will I be working with?
   1. You want to find out if you will be working with one specific real estate agent or a member of the agent’s team.
6. How much will selling my home cost?
   1. Know upfront about the costs you’ll be paying such as broker’s commission, closing fees, and anything else so you can plan accordingly.
7. What is your sales plan?
   1. An agent should have a written plan that identifies where and how she will market your home, from listing services to open houses to social media.
8. What should I do to get my house ready?
   1. See what their advice is for necessary repairs or upgrades or what hacks they might suggest for budget-friendly but impactful improvements. Find out if they suggest staging services or just a good cleaning and declutter. Also find out if an agent is willing to be accommodating to your schedule and what days and times she prefers to show houses.
9. How will we communicate?
   1. Knowing the method and frequency of communication can be important.
10. How long will the process take?
    1. While no agent can guarantee how fast the sale itself will go, they should be able to give a ballpark range on how long it will take you sell your house.

Source: Realtor.com