some extra steps to take when deciding on a Realtor to list your home...

It has been said that most people hire the first agent they meet to list their home or to represent them when they purchase a property. Some people are a little more diligent and interview a couple of agents. I'd be willing to bet that the agent with the slickest CMA (comparative market analysis for non-agents), the one who drives the fanciest car, and maybe even the most charming agent gets the job more often than they probably should.

So what can a lay person do to take their due diligence to the next level when hiring an agent? First, conduct your initial meetings, but don't make a decision right then. Save some of your questions for later. Send a question to the prospective agent(s) by email. If it takes an agent a few days to reply to your email and you're the kind of person who wants a prompt response, it may not be a good fit. A day or two later leave a voicemail message with an additional question. Why do I suggest this? Because if the voicemail box is full and you can't leave a message, that may be a hint as to what you can expect. If they actually answer the phone, then great! Can they answer your question? Do they make up an answer? Do they say "let me find the answer for you and I'll call you back as soon as possible"? Also ask the agent how they handle "extra requests", like changing/refreshing pictures of your home in MLS, re-filling the sign box when the flyers run out, and asking showing agents for feedback. Some agents consider holding an open house an extra not a standard. Finally, ask the Realtor to provide a print out of all the homes they have sold in the last 12 months. If a Realtor sells just a handful of homes each year-- well, you've heard the phrase "practice makes perfect"... they aren't getting enough practice.

Why do I make these suggestions? Because it's pretty easy for a professional salesperson to dress nice and turn on the charm to get the listing. The problem is, once the listing agreement is signed, your agent may be on to greener pastures (getting the next listing agreement signed) and you are no longer a top priority. Some agents leave it to the Buyer's Agent to sell your home and take no proactive steps to sell the home once it's on MLS.

It's perfectly reasonable to expect an agent to return emails promptly (certainly within 24 hours), return phone calls promptly (certainly within 24 hours), get prompt feedback from showing agents and promptly pass along that feedback to the client after showings. I know, I know-- some showing agents don't return feedback calls. In that case the listing agent should let the client know that the other agent hasn't replied with feedback yet. Clients should get copies of all documentation as it comes in (like contingency removals, etc). Also, agents should fairly regularly, at a bare minimum once a week, just pick up the phone to check in with their clients and ask "is there anything you'd like me to do?" The client shouldn't have to ask the highly paid Realtor to do their job. The highly paid Realtor should know what needs to be done and do it before being asked.

It's amazing how often I end up with clients who have had a bad experience with a Realtor-- think unresponsive, resentful when the clients asks for something, disappear after they get the listing, too busy to respond to calls and emails, etc. It's been said that the public perception of Realtors is anyone can do the job, Realtors are overpaid and most are untrustworthy. If an agent is doing the job correctly not anyone can do that job, they are not overpaid, but paid fairly and the really good agents build trust in the Real Estate profession.