Brooklyn Home Sellers: 5 Questions to Ask Your Real Estate Agent
Selling your Brooklyn home or townhouse can evoke a swirl of emotions—excitement, apprehension and bewilderment all at once. The good news is that real estate agents can help streamline the process and make it as seamless and stress-free as possible for you. We’ve already written about how hiring a Brooklyn real estate agent benefits sellers, from alleviating burdens to sidestepping common pitfalls, to providing advocacy and negotiating on your behalf.
Now, as you gear up to partner with a seller’s agent, the task of identifying the right fit might seem daunting—particularly in the vast landscape of Brooklyn. Naturally, you will want a reliable real estate agent or team with an intimate understanding of the local landscape and the dedication to maximize your return on investment. But asking insightful questions can further help you find a good match.
Here are five you will want to ask when assessing whether an agent is a good match for you.
1. Can you describe your real estate background?
You will want to dive into how long a seller’s agent has been in the real estate game and maybe even what sparked their interest in it. Ask about their Brooklyn expertise, as well as how much experience they have selling property in your specific neighborhood.
For instance, they should have the hyperlocal knowledge to describe their level of understanding of what’s selling and not selling in the neighborhood and why that might be, approximately how long it might take to sell and why, when the best time to list is and why, and which properties similar to yours are currently for sale and have recently sold.
2. What is the process of selling a home, and are there associated costs?
Discuss the agent’s approach to selling a home. It should touch upon meeting with you to discuss your goals, crafting a strategic timeline, determining the optimal price, marketing your home, orchestrating negotiations and ultimately closing the deal.
Though you won’t pay anything until your Brooklyn home sells, there will be a commission upon closing the sale.
3. How do you price and market homes for sale?
Beyond having a presence in Brooklyn and experience selling real estate in Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Windsor Terrace or wherever else you may be listing your home, find out how the agent stays abreast with market trends. Inquire about their data-driven pricing strategies and whether you will be provided with a comparative market analysis to see which homes have sold similar to yours.
Though real estate agents tend to have similar marketing processes, some have unique ways to make your home stand out. Find out whether the agent you’re talking to uses professional photographers, what their staging techniques are and if they include them in their services, where they advertise listings and what their open house philosophy is. Find out how they typically handle offers on your behalf.
4. How do you collaborate with clients?
Each agent-client relationship can be a bit different in terms of whether you will have a direct line of communication with a particular agent or multiple agents on a team, whether you will communicate via phone, text and/or email, and how frequently.
In addition to outlining their communication methods, agents should be able to tell you how they can leverage their network for you not only in terms of finding potential buyers for your home, but also in preparing your home for the market whether you need help sourcing plumbers, electricians, house painters or other service personnel.
5. Can you highlight any standout accomplishments, client success stories or reviews?
Though accolades don’t define an individual, they can help you to shine a light on a real estate agent’s caliber. Anything from being a top producer to having a history of speedy sales, above-ask offers or, more importantly, high price per square foot sales, are all demonstrative of a job well done. Ask if the agent has any noteworthy sales to report, and see what their past clients have to say by looking for reviews online.
Getting ready to sell your Brooklyn home is like crafting a unique story, with careful planning and expert execution. Our skilled real estate agents are ready to guide you through this exciting journey.
Whether you’re looking to sell, buy or rent a home in Brooklyn, our friendly Park Slope-based real agents can help. Contact us today to get started on your Brooklyn real estate journey.
