Comments on: Effective Real Estate Agent Interview Questions http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/ Find out what the real estate industry isn't telling you, as told by a licensed Realtor Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:45:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Bill Petrey, Realtor http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2514 Bill Petrey, Realtor Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:38:24 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2514 Stacey: Sure you can trust an agent, but do it the way President Reagan trusted Gorbachev. "Trust but verify." I have a hard time trusting agents too. There's a term used in the real estate industry called "puffing." Puffing means stretching the truth or exaggerating to get a sale. The fact that it happens so frequently in our industry that we can name it should say something. My thought is to believe what is verifiable and indisputable. In this case, it's past sales. If an agent sold the most in a particular area last year, they'll probably be able to sell a lot this year in the same area. Rather than believe what they say, I like starting my search with proof of what they did. However, once you hire the agent, you're not done yet. You have to set goals and measure progress. You have to treat them like employees. Let them know what you expect then hold them to it and follow their progress. Stacey:
Sure you can trust an agent, but do it the way President Reagan trusted Gorbachev. “Trust but verify.” I have a hard time trusting agents too. There’s a term used in the real estate industry called “puffing.” Puffing means stretching the truth or exaggerating to get a sale. The fact that it happens so frequently in our industry that we can name it should say something.

My thought is to believe what is verifiable and indisputable. In this case, it’s past sales. If an agent sold the most in a particular area last year, they’ll probably be able to sell a lot this year in the same area. Rather than believe what they say, I like starting my search with proof of what they did.

However, once you hire the agent, you’re not done yet. You have to set goals and measure progress. You have to treat them like employees. Let them know what you expect then hold them to it and follow their progress.

]]> By: Stacey http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2511 Stacey Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:46:01 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2511 Nice list Bill. I'm not the most trusting person and so I've never really trusted Agents..lol I mean seriously how do you really know that the Agent isn't simply putting up my house on the MLS and that's it. How would you truly know if the Agent is aggressively trying to sell your house. I know I had no clue with my first house and come to find out later that after 8 months on the market that's basically all he did..lol Nice list Bill. I’m not the most trusting person and so I’ve never really trusted Agents..lol I mean seriously how do you really know that the Agent isn’t simply putting up my house on the MLS and that’s it. How would you truly know if the Agent is aggressively trying to sell your house. I know I had no clue with my first house and come to find out later that after 8 months on the market that’s basically all he did..lol

]]> By: Bill Petrey, Realtor http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2507 Bill Petrey, Realtor Sat, 01 Oct 2011 06:43:29 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2507 You need a license before helping your friends find houses. Licensing and educational requirements are different in each state so check with your state's real estate licensing board's website for specifics about your state. Don't do anything agent related until you become licensed otherwise you'll be breaking the law. You need a license before helping your friends find houses. Licensing and educational requirements are different in each state so check with your state’s real estate licensing board’s website for specifics about your state.

Don’t do anything agent related until you become licensed otherwise you’ll be breaking the law.

]]> By: conchgan http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2505 conchgan Fri, 30 Sep 2011 05:18:39 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2505 Do I need a license to become a real estate agent? Once my mom told me I'd better have a formal training on this because there are this friends who always constantly call me to help them find a house or a land. Is there a proper training to become one? Do I need a license to become a real estate agent? Once my mom told me I’d better have a formal training on this because there are this friends who always constantly call me to help them find a house or a land. Is there a proper training to become one?

]]> By: chicago05 http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2504 chicago05 Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:52:45 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2504 Great blog, thanks for sharing it. Great blog, thanks for sharing it.

]]> By: alexa008 http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2503 alexa008 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:01:35 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2503 those are a great list of questions! wow, i did not think of the other possible important questions. thanks for sharing! those are a great list of questions! wow, i did not think of the other possible important questions. thanks for sharing!

]]> By: Barbique http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2501 Barbique Sat, 24 Sep 2011 08:04:33 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2501 This is really good guide for us, I totally love this post how you've written, I would say I wish I had them when I was looking for help, but I was really, really lucky to have a real fighter on my side. He was the most attentive, determined guy I could have imagined beforehand. Thank you so much for taking the time to discussing it. This is really good guide for us, I totally love this post how you’ve written, I would say I wish I had them when I was looking for help, but I was really, really lucky to have a real fighter on my side. He was the most attentive, determined guy I could have imagined beforehand. Thank you so much for taking the time to discussing it.

]]> By: Rin See http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2483 Rin See Sun, 11 Sep 2011 07:03:35 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2483 This is a good guide. Having these can speed up the process. It really difficult to ask question you are not familiar with. With these tips it can surely help lots of home owner pick up the right agent. This is a good guide. Having these can speed up the process. It really difficult to ask question you are not familiar with. With these tips it can surely help lots of home owner pick up the right agent.

]]> By: Don Ashby http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2451 Don Ashby Fri, 02 Sep 2011 03:40:38 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2451 For me, being a real estate salesman sounds like one of the hardest jobs in the world. I worked in HR department and this questionnaire is superb and will help get the best agent when all these questions fit certain applicant criteria. For me, being a real estate salesman sounds like one of the hardest jobs in the world. I worked in HR department and this questionnaire is superb and will help get the best agent when all these questions fit certain applicant criteria.

]]> By: Bill Petrey, Realtor http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2413 Bill Petrey, Realtor Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:01:12 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2413 Harold: Glad they were useful. I hope you downloaded the questionnaire that had answers that I would want to hear your broker give. The best part of using a list of questions is that you can be sure to conduct the same interview for all of the agents you talk to and that gives you a method of comparison. Best of luck with your agent. Remember, you hired them and you're the boss. Harold:
Glad they were useful. I hope you downloaded the questionnaire that had answers that I would want to hear your broker give. The best part of using a list of questions is that you can be sure to conduct the same interview for all of the agents you talk to and that gives you a method of comparison.

Best of luck with your agent. Remember, you hired them and you’re the boss.

]]> By: Harold http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2412 Harold Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:38:35 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2412 I went through you extensive list of questions to as my broker, there were a few that I would not have thought of asking. Great information,thank you I went through you extensive list of questions to as my broker, there were a few that I would not have thought of asking. Great information,thank you

]]> By: Bill Petrey, Realtor http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2409 Bill Petrey, Realtor Fri, 24 Jun 2011 22:09:26 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2409 Stacy: She shouldn't present your info to anyone without your permission. Distributing your information without your authorization is a serious violation of your trust. She's required to protect that info, not distribute it. Depending on the circumstances, she may be doing something that could get her and her broker in serious trouble. You should inform her broker of this situation. Please keep in mind that I am answering your question based solely on the information you provided so I can only answer based on vague assumptions. I do not have the entire story, but one thing's for sure is that you need to have this discussion with your current agent and you should consider talking with her broker too. The broker needs to be aware if she's doing things that could get the broker in trouble. Stacy:
She shouldn’t present your info to anyone without your permission. Distributing your information without your authorization is a serious violation of your trust. She’s required to protect that info, not distribute it. Depending on the circumstances, she may be doing something that could get her and her broker in serious trouble. You should inform her broker of this situation.

Please keep in mind that I am answering your question based solely on the information you provided so I can only answer based on vague assumptions. I do not have the entire story, but one thing’s for sure is that you need to have this discussion with your current agent and you should consider talking with her broker too. The broker needs to be aware if she’s doing things that could get the broker in trouble.

]]> By: Stacy http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2406 Stacy Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:57:20 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2406 I have already spoken with the lender and will be getting my prequailifying letter and just found a new realtor!! YEEEE! I think the problem is the other woman should not be taking my info to present to mortgage companies. This seems unethical if she is a realtor. I have already spoken with the lender and will be getting my prequailifying letter and just found a new realtor!! YEEEE! I think the problem is the other woman should not be taking my info to present to mortgage companies. This seems unethical if she is a realtor.

]]> By: Bill Petrey, Realtor http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2405 Bill Petrey, Realtor Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:21:42 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2405 Stacy: Glad to hear it isn't a phishing scam, however, if she's not a licensed agent (real estate or loan officer), she is not allowed to service you other than in a paper-pushing, clerical work kind-of-way without a license. She can not provide advice. She may be "practicing without a license." That's the legal term for it. That may be something you may want to bring up to her broker, if I understand the situation correctly from what you described earlier. If she's not willing to work on your behalf, you're best served by going somewhere else. Just be glad she was honest enough to tell you rather than string you along with weeks or months of bad service. Stacy:
Glad to hear it isn’t a phishing scam, however, if she’s not a licensed agent (real estate or loan officer), she is not allowed to service you other than in a paper-pushing, clerical work kind-of-way without a license. She can not provide advice. She may be “practicing without a license.” That’s the legal term for it. That may be something you may want to bring up to her broker, if I understand the situation correctly from what you described earlier.

If she’s not willing to work on your behalf, you’re best served by going somewhere else. Just be glad she was honest enough to tell you rather than string you along with weeks or months of bad service.

]]> By: Stacy http://blog.agentharvest.com/finding-an-agent/interview-questions-to-ask-your-next-real-estate-agent/#comment-2404 Stacy Thu, 23 Jun 2011 21:53:06 +0000 http://blog.agentharvest.com/?p=212#comment-2404 I am in Texas and she works at an agency under a broker. I have been working with her for 3 months and she has been very nice and knowledgeable until today. Her speciality is to work with people like me who want to use programs like MAP. I am in Texas and she works at an agency under a broker. I have been working with her for 3 months and she has been very nice and knowledgeable until today. Her speciality is to work with people like me who want to use programs like MAP.

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