How to Find a Good Real Estate Agent
Ask the agent (or better yet, his or her former clients) the following questions to gauge the agent’s skill, and ability to represent you as a buyer or a seller:
- Was there any part of the process of buying or selling a home that clients were pleased or particularly displeased with?
- What was the asking price?
- What was the sales price?
- What properties have you worked with in my location?
- What about similarly sized properties?
It’s important to choose an agent who has experience working with homes similar to yours.
Check with your state’s real estate regulatory authority to verify the agent’s licensing. While you’re on that website, you’re also often able to look into regulatory actions and complaints against the agent.
You should also ask the agent how long they’ve been buying and selling homes. If they’re representing an agency, ask how long they’ve been with that particular agency, and their history with other firms.
Above all, it’s important to choose a real estate agent in St. Louis and surrounding areas that you can trust. Regular communication is extremely important when selling your home, as in many cases, a house represents the majority of your net worth. A good agent will be able to answer questions such as:
- How many inquiries have been made about my home?
- How many of these inquiries came from people likely to make a purchase (not just window shoppers)?
- What other properties in this neighborhood are for sale? What is the asking price of those homes?
