What questions to ask realtor before listing house?

[OregonDead]

So I am new to this. My ex and I agreed to sell and she wants me to take the lead on dealing with the realtor etc. She also asked that I try to negotiate for a better fee. (I am so green I really don’t know how the fees usually work or how much of a percent is appropriate). This is my first home and my in-laws took the lead when we bought this place. I am also shopping for a new place and my friend said he was able to get a better deal by buying and selling through the same realtor.
I have been talking to a family friend that is a realtor but haven’t signed anything. What should I look out for and what are the questions to ask?

[mall walker]

my advice is not get pressured into using a family friend. a competent realtor is worth their weight in gold.

[Danno]

I think the standards re commission vary by location. I think, however, that it is pretty standard to get a break on commission if you are doing both ends of a buy/sell. Around here, that discounted commission is usually 5%.

Agree with mall walker, if the family friend is a successful realtor, it may be fine to use them. But getting a good realtor is important, so ask around.

[plugboots]

Get a good realtor.

[dan_pdx]

It might be worth checking out opendoor.com - they're basically a RE flipping site, but they'll give a cash offer for your house after inspection. It sounds like their offers are competitive once you account for the value of the time you'll spend time dealing with homebuyers.

[TBS]

Yes, you can negotiate a lower commission rate on your sale by getting the realtor 50% of the commission on your subsequent purchase. I did this once.

And ended up stuck with a crappy realtor for two transactions.

Drive around your ‘hood and see who has the most listings. Because they can easily show your place along with others, and will have a better idea of market price. Then check the listing services (Zillow, etc) to get an idea how long their listings have been on market. Shorter is good.

Prepare to be disappointed. There’s a lot of shitty realtors out there

[riser4]

If you have family or family friends that are realtors then you are fuct. Friend of my wife dealt with a 5 year family rift and political sabotage because she didn't have her sister sell her house.

[plugboots]

No shit. The dumbass we had to use once due to family ties didn't even show us a whole neighborhood, drove so shitty that he got in an accident showing us around, and didn't seem to know anything. Now with Zillow etc., I'd have as much info as possible ready beforehand.

[irul&ublo]

...what are the questions to ask?

Do you have any naked pics of your hot wife/sister/gf?

[whyturn]

Business and family never goes well. Get a good agent and maximize the sale. Also if they are doing both sides sell and buy them 5 is fair. Understand you may have to give a bit to close the deal and learn where your breaking point is


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[mall walker]

I'm not really sure for selling agent questions... I'd definitely ask how many they have listed now (hopefully at least a few), what their strategy is for showing the place, what they expect to list for and what they expect to get offers at, and so on.

[char_]

Marketing strategy in COVID times. If house is occupied, how they will work with that. Howany deals have they closed in the last 60 days.

How would you recommend we deal with a multiple offer scenario.

I asked for a marketing strategy and got a multiple page outline of the brokerage resources, staff and approach.

House was basically sold the day it went on the market.

[schindlerpiste]

You don't want a realtor who doesn't immediately respond to your phone call, or who turns their phone off while on the golf course. Ask realtor whether he/she will pay for someone to come in to stage your home. Ask about marketing techniques, other than e-mail blasts, MLS, website, and open houses. Ask for his/her portfolio of sales during past 3 years.

[Nobody Famous]

Pat attention to how long their 'length of agency' or 'term of agency' is. That is the condition in the agreement which limits you to working with that agent or that agency for 1, 3, 6 or 9 months. If the agent doesn't work out you want a short term so you can find a different agent.

Questions:
- How well do you know the neighborhood?
- How many sales have you handled in the neighborhood?
- What do you think we should list this house for? Why?
- If you don't get any showings in the first two (four) weeks then what do we do?

- This one a buddy uses: Are you good at selling houses? The agent says yes, or tells you how good she/he is. You then say that being so, I'll go for a two month term.

[liv2ski]

Experience really does matter and how you click with them. In my hood there is a local paper they all advertise in, so it is easy to see who the big players are. #1 guy is known as Mr. Price Reduction, as he lists the property at any price and over time there are price reductions likely down to the level the #2 agent would have listed it at to begin with, so fuck that guy. I would want to know their marketing times over the last 12 months and the difference between list and sold prices. I want the agent who knows the market, prices it right, gets it staged correctly and sells it as fast as possible. Staging is very important for selling a home at top dollar and you may have a lot to do before putting it on the market.

[MiddleOfNight]

Agree w Mr Walker, Danno, and everyone else who's echo'd.
Quality, reputation, local knowledge, track record, availability. Don't further stress personal relationships over money.

I don't personally like my realtor. At all.
It's business. She is dang good at what she does, and our interests align. She makes it happen. Only relator I will ever use here. But I don't like her.

[Skidog]

So I am new to this. My ex and I agreed to sell and she wants me to take the lead on dealing with the realtor etc. She also asked that I try to negotiate for a better fee. (I am so green I really don’t know how the fees usually work or how much of a percent is appropriate). This is my first home and my in-laws took the lead when we bought this place. I am also shopping for a new place and my friend said he was able to get a better deal by buying and selling through the same realtor.
I have been talking to a family friend that is a realtor but haven’t signed anything. What should I look out for and what are the questions to ask?

If he's a friend and you trust use him. 6% split is typically expected (listing and your). Try to get 4 or 5 for "friends" and if it's his fucking listing 2 or 3% max.

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[Skidog]

It might be worth checking out opendoor.com - they're basically a RE flipping site, but they'll give a cash offer for your house after inspection. It sounds like their offers are competitive once you account for the value of the time you'll spend time dealing with homebuyers.

While it was about 1.5 years ago my house sold in a day. I was out for 8 hours and got 14 offers over asking, 2 cash with less than 15 day close. Sometimes it's easy.

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[Core Shot]

1. Any murders or suicides?

2. Any ghosts or unexplained phenomena?

3. Any Indian burial grounds?

4. Any pet cemeteries?

Duh.

[fatnslow]

If your in Oregon I would wait 30 days before listing. Anyone with money is kind of hanging on the sidelines and all you'll get will be tire kickers right now or try to low ball you.

[iceman]

Why's it gonna be better in 30 days?

[mcski]

Poopenhausen?

[Kinnikinnick]

Questions for your “Realtor”:

What the fuck is with that whole “Realtor” scam? You know since legally and vis a vis the regulatory bodies a “Realtor” isnt a thing, yet the masses want a “Realtor” instead of a competent Real Estate Broker.

What percentage of your clients do you think actually deserve excellent representation?




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[iceman]

Poopenhausen?

Well by all means wait then.

[skifishbum]

I sold our house
to a maggot on the tgrz
the realtor helped close the deal and got 1%
I shouda paid myself the rest