You’ve decided it’s time to sell your home. Now you’re dreading the process of finding a Santa Cruz real estate agent. Don’t worry! There are many outstanding agents available. Just be sure to interview at least three agents and call a few of their clients to check their references before making your choice.
To help you through this process, here are six key questions to ask when interviewing Santa Cruz real estate agents:
1. How many homes have you sold in this area in the last year and how long did it take you to sell them? Obviously, the more homes sold the better and the quicker the homes sold the better. Don’t go with a real estate agent who has sold nothing in the last six months. That most likely means they don’t know how to sell in the current market.
2. How much did the homes sell for? Hire a Santa Cruz real estate agent who has sold homes priced similar to yours. He or she will know how to price and market your home.
3. Do you live and work in this area? It's important to find an agent who thoroughly knows the local market. You want an agent who knows what homes are selling for in today’s market, what buyers in your area are looking for and what’s for sale in your area right now.
4. How do you market homes online? You’re looking for a Santa Cruz real estate agent who is comfortable using Facebook, Twitter or YouTube to market homes. Look at agents’ websites to see how many photos and videos they’ve posted for other homes they’re selling. Also visit real estate websites such as Realtor.com, Yahoo Real Estate, Trulia and Zillow to see how the agent showcases homes he or she is selling. Buyers like to see pictures and videos of homes, so you need an agent who provides this as a regular part of his or her service.
5. How do you market homes offline? While searching for homes online is by far the most popular way to find homes for sale these days, you don’t want to miss out on offline marketing. Choose an agent who markets your home in a multitude of mediums, which may include house-for-sale flyers, real estate magazines or newspapers.
6. What are the most common problems that come up when selling a home and how would you handle them? An experienced agent will be able to tell you what to expect throughout the process, as well as possible problems that may arise and how to avoid them.
I’d appreciate the opportunity to interview for the job of selling your home. Call me today at 831.662.6522 or email me at Lauren@LaurenSpencer.com to schedule a time for our interview.
For additional information please visit my homepage at www.MySantaCruzRealEstate.com.
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Interviewing Santa Cruz real estate agents
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