The real estate market has become increasingly complex compared to ten years ago, requiring more than just a standard approach to selling homes. What specific marketing plans and programs does this agent have to ensure that your home stands out compared to other competing homes? What unique offerings does this agent provide that will help you sell your home quickly, easily, and for the best price? It’s essential to know what sets this agent apart.

It might seem like everywhere you turn, real estate agents are claiming to be #1 in something or sharing the number of homes they've sold. If you're like many homeowners, you might have become desensitized to this information. After all, you wonder, "Why should I care about how many homes one agent sold compared to another? The only thing that matters to me is whether they can sell my home quickly and for the highest price."

Since you want your home sold fast and for top dollar, it's important to ask the agents you interview about their sales track record. You’ll likely agree that success in real estate is measured by the number of homes sold. If one agent is consistently selling many homes while another is selling only a few, ask yourself why this difference exists. What are these two agents doing differently?

You might be surprised to learn that many agents sell fewer than ten homes a year. This low volume can make it challenging for them to do full-scale marketing on your home because they may not have the resources to invest in advertising and special programs to give your home the visibility it needs. Additionally, at this level of sales, they probably can't afford to hire an assistant, which means they're juggling all the tasks themselves, potentially leading to a decline in service quality.

When it comes to selling your home, advertising plays a pivotal role in achieving the best price. Ask how much this agent invests in advertising compared to others you’re considering. Where do they advertise - newspapers, magazines, TV? What insights do they have into the effectiveness of these different media? Understanding their marketing strategy is key to ensuring your home receives the exposure it needs to attract serious buyers.

It's important for agents to provide a detailed listing of their sales, along with comparable sales in your area. This information will give you insight into their experience and success in your neighborhood.

If your agent doesn’t have control over their own advertising, your home may be competing for ad space with other listings from the same brokerage. This could limit the visibility your home receives. It’s important to ensure your agent has direct control over how and where your home is advertised.

This metric, available from the local Real Estate Board, shows how well an agent can negotiate and price homes. Is the agent’s performance lower or higher than the board average? Their performance on this metric will help you predict how high a price you will get for the sale of your home.

The speed at which an agent's listings sell is another key metric available from the Real Estate Board. Does this agent tend to sell slower or faster than the board average? Their performance on this metric will help you predict how long your home will be on the market before it sells.

The number of active buyers an agent is working with can directly influence how quickly and competitively your home sells. More buyers mean a greater likelihood of receiving multiple offers, potentially driving up the price. Ask the agent how they attract buyers and what systems they have in place to connect them with your home.

Requesting a list of references allows you to hear firsthand from past clients about their experiences. Make sure to follow up and contact a few of them to get a true sense of the agent’s performance and client satisfaction.

Be cautious of agents who lock you into a lengthy listing contract that they can easily exit (by failing to effectively market your home), while you remain bound. These contracts often include penalties and broker protection periods that favor the agent’s interests, not yours. How confident is your agent in the service they’re offering? Will they allow you to cancel the contract without penalty if you’re unhappy with their service? Knowing the answers to these questions is essential to protecting your interests.