How To Ask

Millions of first-time buyers successfully walk the path to home ownership every year in North America. The right real estate agent - or the wrong one - can have a great deal of impact on not only the outcome, but the entire buying process. The most important thing a home buyer can do when buying a home is to choose the right real estate agent before starting to look at at potential real estate properties. Hopefully you are the real estate agent that people choose as a representative, and a great way to ensure that is to have positive testimonials from your clients.

Home buyers have choices of real estate representation. The traditional agent works in a real estate office that takes listings and usually represents the seller, but would not hesitate to act as a dual agent and also represent a buyer of the same property. Consequently, neither party is truly "represented" due to the conflict of interest. Other real estate agents may work in offices that take listings, but will only represent one client in any real estate transaction. Whether you represent houses or lofts for sale, your customers - not the property - should come first. No matter what type of agent you are, having a good rapport with your clients is a sure way to ensure that you will be referred to their friends and family in the future. Word of mouth is a great way for real estate agents to build their client base, so making sure that your clients are satisfied with your service should be your top priority.

Here are questions a future homeowner might ask before selecting an agent, so be prepared to have answers to the following questions and you will guarantee that these clients will be satisfied with your services, and therefore give you a good testimonial:

1. How long have you been licensed? Do you work in real estate full time?
2. What percentage of your business is working with buyers?
3. How familiar are you with the area where I want to purchase?
4. Do you have references from other buyers who have used your services? 5. Do you have an association membership that has a published code of ethics or standards of practice?
6. Do you think foreclosures, bank-owned properties or for-sale-by-owner properties would be appropriate for my home search?
7. How often will you supply me with properties that meet my criteria? How will you get them to me? Will you point out all the negative aspects of each property as well as all the positive aspects?
8. Tell me how you represent buyers to help them get the best price & terms.
9. Can you help me with the loan process? Do you have a list of lenders, home inspectors, mold assessments (see Rotondi Mold Assessors), insurance agents, and other professionals to recommend?
10. How do you get paid?
11. Do you have a written agreement? What is the duration of that agreement? What if I see a for-sale-by-owner house on my own?

Having responses ready for these questions (and others) will ensure that your clients are confident in your know-how and will be calling you again to work with you as a realtor. Please keep in mind that real estate agents work differently in different marketplaces. People looking for local real estate may choose an agent from that area, where as if they are looking for a condo in Las Vegas for example, they may go with someone from the area; may we suggest The Grigor Group? He specializes in real estate for Las Vegas. It is important to explain how you will work with your clients to best represent them and serve their needs, while still furthering your business and potential client base. Once all of your clients' needs are met, asking them for a testimonial can be part of the final signing of documents, or you can approach them after the deal has been finalized. No matter how you ask, making sure that your clients are happy is the only way to get a great testimonial from them.