Questions to ask before hiring a real estate agent

''Selling your home can be a very stressful and challenging time but it needn't be if you have the help of a trusted and esteemed agent by your side'', says Mike Greeff, CEO of Greeff Christie's International Real Estate. Having someone to guide you through the entire process can relieve a ton of stress but what's important is that the person you choose is the right one. When choosing an agent, you want someone who is trustworthy, experienced and most importantly, someone who has your best interests at heart.

When deciding to hire an agent, approach it as you would if you were hiring someone to work for you. Conduct a thorough interview to ensure that the agent you choose ticks all your boxes and that's someone you can build a good rapport with.

Below are questions to bear in mind when vetting prospective agents:

1. What is your best marketing strategy/plan to meet my needs?

As a seller, you need to know how the agent plans to market your home in order to give it the exposure it needs and as a result, the offers you want.

You need to ask questions like:

• Where and how often will you be advertising?
• Do you offer professional photography?
• Will you be doing online and print marketing or just one of the two?
• What steps do you take to prepare the home for a sale? i.e. how many show days?

2. What's your average list-price-to-sales-price ratio?

The list-price-to-sales-price ratio depends entirely on the market. Although the price is market-driven, a buyer will always want to negotiate.  A competent agent will have a track record for negotiating sales prices that are very close to list prices and not significantly lower.

You might also want to find out just where most of these homes were located. Is the agent familiar with the neighborhood you're interested in or where your property is located? This is also an important consideration to bear in mind as it will give you an idea of the average prices in the area.

3. What sets you apart from the competition?

A good agent won't hesitate to answer this question and they are most-likely ready to fire off several reasons why they are the best in the business.

What sets a great agent apart from a mediocre one is his availability - a great agent will be available whenever you need him/her whether it be via phone or email. A great agent will also be an excellent communicator and will be able to keep his wits about him during trying times.

Everyone has their own standards but a commonality between everyone is that they are looking for an agent who is honest, trustworthy, assertive, and an agent who can be an excellent negotiator.

4. How long have you been in the business?

It doesn't matter whether you have a ''freshly-licensed'' agent or an agent with years of experience, what's important is how comfortable you are, as the seller. With adequate training and an inherent passion to succeed, any agent can be a great one.

Having a newer agent on your team will mean that they might have more time to concentrate on your property as he wouldn't have acquired as big a portfolio as let's say, someone who has been in the industry for a few more years.

However, having an experienced agent means that you will have someone who can deal with any and all situations that might arise during the selling process.

5. What haven't I asked you that you think I should know?

Pay careful attention to how the agent answers this. Ten to one, you have probably missed something and it's most likely something vital. An agent worth their salt with take their time to ensure that you are comfortable and secure with their knowledge and experience. The right agent will be completely transparent with you, regardless of their interests because an excellent agent, always puts your needs, the seller's, above their own.

The bottom line is that when choosing an agent, you need to choose the right one for you. Not everyone you interview will tick all the boxes, but one will come along and be just the right fit for you. Remember, different strokes for different folks but at the end of the day, make sure that whoever you choose is honest, transparent and passionate - those three traits are key when entrusting someone with your home.