When interviewing a listing agent at your home, pay attention to how they react to your home during the discussion.

You want an agent who is enthusiastic about your home and sees its potential in the marketplace. They should be willing to work hard to represent the home and have an innovative marketing plan to be sure that all potential buyers are exposed to your home.

Since they will have your home and possessions in their hands, you need to feel comfortable and secure with the agent. Formulate a list of questions to ask prospective agents.

Q. What is your philosophy about what sells a home?
A. Your agent should present you with a concise plan for marketing your home. Each home is unique and a cookie cutter approach may not work for your property. Ask them if they feel direct marketing, Internet exposure, promotion to agents or other means most effectively market the home.

Q. What advice would you give me to prepare my home for sale?
A. Some agents may recommend major repairs or minor cosmetic work. Or they may talk about proper staging and presentation. They should analyze the home’s strengths and weaknesses and discuss fully the options for investment vs. return when it comes to making repairs. Their ideas should not be taken as a negative reaction to your home but rather as an informed statement regarding the market realities.

Q. What features would you emphasize to a buyer who is interested in my home?
A. Agents should be able to easily describe the positive features of any home. Is it the location? Floor plan? Unique upgrades? Yard or landscaping? You should feel comfortable with their representation of your home and that they can accurately describe and promote the home’s best attributes.

Q. How will you and your company protect me from the general public in the areas of safety and convenience?
A. Make sure that the agent will operate in a manner that makes you feel safe. The process of showing your home, presenting offers, negotiating and escrow handling should all be presented at this time. Your safety and convenience should be the agent’s primary concern.

Q. What happens when you are not available?
A. Make sure that you agent explains what will happen when they are out of town or otherwise engaged. Do they have a partner who will step in and assist you or do they have an assistant(s) that will work with you during brief periods of unavailability? How will they communicate with you: email, business phone, personal, voice mail, cell phone etc.? Discuss the best methods of communication for your needs.

Q. What distinguishes your real estate company from the competitors?
A. What is the company’s business philosophy? Does the company invest in the latest technologies to meet seller’s need? What is their history in the marketplace? The agent should be able to articulate these items to clearly differentiate their company from the competitors.

Q. What distinguishes your personal service from other agents?
A. Listen to how the agent describes themselves and their willingness to be there for you. Do they put your needs above their own? What is their personal business philosophy.
After each interview, ask yourself:
Do you feel the agent is honest and trustworthy?
Are they realistic in talking about your home and its marketability?
Do they communicate well with you and vice versa?
Are they committed, motivated and experienced?
Do they have the technology tools and company resources necessary to assist you?