9 Questions for Your Buyers Agent

1. How long have you been in residential real estate sales? Is this your full-time job?

Since 2003. Full-time. When I’m “off”, I will let you know ahead of time and provide you with a back-up resource.

2. On average, how many buyers are you actively working with?

Because buyers’ needs vary from person to person in terms of their timing for purchase, I can work with as many as 7 buyers at a time. But several of them might not be looking to purchase until later next year. It is extremely rare for me to have 2 buyers looking for the same type of property in the same area for the same price.

3. How many homes do you help buyers purchase each year? How many homes, total, do you sell?

Over the most recent years, I have helped between 12 and 16 buyers each year. And that was out of a total of 23 to 30 homes.

4. How does your Team work? Will I be passed off to a less experienced agent after I sign the agreement?

I work with an office manager and an agent who helps me show property when everyone wants to see property at the same time. I will always be your primary contact, the one strategizing and negotiating on your behalf. But if you absolutely need to see a property and I’m not available, having a team allows me to meet your needs in a busy market.

5. Do you require a pre-qualification or pre-approval before looking at homes?

I highly recommend that you get pre-qualified early in the process. It is not uncommon to discover something during the pre-qualification process that will require you to do a few things before you can buy a home. So, it’s best to do it early.

6. What home inspections do you recommend?

You should absolutely get a good understanding of how your new home will work. Every property has its own feature profile. Some have flat roofs; some have older sewer pipes; some have swimming pools. So what you inspect will depend on the type of property you are purchasing. A general inspection can be enough for a condo while a large, detached home with a well and septic system would need additional review by an appropriate expert. I’m happy to recommend the appropriate inspectors.

7. How do you help buyers compete in this market?

We’re not going to wait for your future property to show up in the listing system. Once we refine your search requirements, I will lean into my network to find off-market or pre-market properties. I will reach out to homeowners who may not have been considering selling. Waiting is not my preferred method of searching for property.

If we determine that your search criteria are extremely popular, we may have to embrace some competitive strategies to help you compete while limiting your risk. Even if the market isn’t competitive overall, an individual property could be competitively priced so that more buyers are interested in it. I can walk you through those strategies when the time comes.

8. What is your business philosophy?

Because I work by referral, I focus on helping my clients even after the transaction is over. I believe in staying connected to make sure you have as good a homeownership experience as you do a buying and selling experience.

9. Can you please give me the names and phone numbers of your three most recent clients?

Sure. Just let me know if you’d like these.