10 Questions you will want to ask your Olympia Area Real Estate Agent

These are helpful questions when interviewing for an agent. The Listing agent is particularly important because this is the person representing their home and needs to market it and sell it for the seller.  A buyers agent is a great asset to buyers in that they are solely working for the buyer and take into consideration all the needs of that buyer.

• What is your list price to sales price ratio?

Meaning, what did you list a home for and what did it end up selling for? If the difference is vast, the agent may not price the homes correctly to begin with. You don't want to have to chase the market down.

• How many homes have you sold in the last year?

This is a good way to determine how dedicated the agent is to their job. This can also be divided into how many listings they had verses how many homes they sold as a buyers agent.

• How will you market my home?

This is a crucial question as you will need to know how agressively the agent is planning on marketing your home. Are they using only the internet? Newspaper and print advertising? Word of mouth through the office? There are hundreds of ways creative agents use to market your home. Be sure you ask how.

• Are you familiar with my neighborhood?

This is also important. If the agent is unaware of your neighborhood, they may price the home too low or too high. Having an agent that specializes in your neighborhood is a good plan from the start. We have agents that specialize in Tumwater real estate and Lacey real estate as well.

• How are you different from other agents?

You may put some agents on the spot with this one but its something to keep in mind. Contempate their answer and see if this fits into your plan comfortably.

• Can you provide references?

This is a great way to find out how the agent actually did with previous transactions. Grant it, most agents will only give you clients that were  happy with the agent but it still is a good way to get different feedback.

• Will you be able to help me find resources and professionals I may need?

Having a well-rounded agent with all the resources you need is vital. You will need a lender, inspector, appraisor, escorw and title companies. Having an agent with good working relationships with these helps the entire deal go more smoothly.

• What guarantees are offered? 

The agent cannot guartantee the perfect transaction because you just don't know what lies on the other side of the equation. A good agent will handle all issues in a responsible, ethical and mangable way no matter what comes along.

• What are your policies with cancelling agreements?

Sometimes things just don't work out whether you are dealing with a buyers agent or a listing agent. You will want to know how open they are about letting them go if you need to cancel the relationship for any reason.

With these questions in hand, you can narrow your search down to an agent you can feel comfortable with and one that will handle your Olympia real estate transaction swiftly and ethically.

Contact our offices today to begin a real estate relationship with an agent.

FOR ADDITIONAL REAL ESTATE SOURCES: Our Pullman real estate affiliate can help with buying and selling east of the mountains and our St. George Utah real estate connection helps all buyers and sellers in Southern Utah. Puerto Vallarta Real Estate  Mexico Buyer's Guide offers professional advice on buying Puerto Vallarta real estate investments and links to many popular Mexico destinations. Request the free newsletter to learn more about the many benefits of investing in Puerto Vallarta homes and Puerto Vallarta real estate. Great resources for US, Canadian and global investors. Mexico Buyer's Guide is your best choice for buying Mexico real estate investments.Vancouver Homes For Sale Vancouver real estate current listings showcasing beautiful Vancouver homes for sale. Vancouver Homes  Real-Estate-Vancouver features helpful real estate information in Greater Vancouver for home buyers and sellers. Vancouver homes and properties in Downtown, Dunbar, Kitsilano, Richmond and more.