Deciding to sell a home is one of the biggest decisions
that an individual or family will make in their
lifetime, and yet for some, little thought is put into
choosing the person they’ll partner with on that
journey. There are reasons why this happens; perhaps
you are approached by a Realtor® and are just relieved to be one
step closer to achieving your real estate goals. Or, maybe you
popped by an open house and felt inclined to use the same agent
who is selling the home you’re interested in buying. No matter
what the incentive, Faris Team recommends that you interview
and compare the services of two or three Realtors® before
committing to one to ensure that you find the best representation
in the sale of your home.
HERE ARE FIVE QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK
WHEN INTERVIEWING A REALTOR ® :
1. HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE DOES YOUR
TEAM HAVE?
As is the case with most professionals, the more experience
a Realtor® has, the better, whether buying or selling. Having
said that, the answer should reflect how many homes they’ve
sold, not necessarily years of knowledge. Ask how many
homes their team sells annually. Numbers can often speak for
themselves, but don’t be afraid to get specific; find out how
many homes they’ve sold in the specific area you’re selling in
so you can determine if their years of knowledge will directly
benefit your real estate goals. You can also ask them for their
average list-to-sale price ratio and the average days their listings
stay on the market to garner confidence in their skills.
2. WHAT COMPLIMENTARY SERVICES DO
YOU PROVIDE?
In a hot market, homes sell themselves, right? Wrong - it’s rarely
that simple. An area may be in high demand and collect offers
just by putting a sign on the lawn, but that doesn’t mean it’s going
to be the best offer you can get for your property. The fact is, the
market isn’t always hot, so it’s important to ask your potential
real estate partners which complimentary services they bring to
the table. You want to look for a team that offers a portfolio of
professional services including photography, videography and
home staging. Ask if they offer services like aerial videography
and photography, twilight photography and video tours of your
home as these techniques give your property an undeniable
edge on the market. These services are less common, but the
top real estate teams in your area will have made innovation
a priority and be poised to sell your home using the most-upto-date
tools available. Not all photography and videography
was created equal, so get on their websites and compare.
3. WHAT IS YOUR MARKETING PLAN?
Providing you with the best complimentary services is only part
of the equation, so make sure to ask your potential partners what
marketing efforts they’ll implement to sell your home fast and
for top dollar. In other words, what is the marketing strategy
and how will it be used to create traction on your home’s listing?
Presence on Realtor.ca is a given, but advertising your listing in
a city-wide publication (like this one) will go a long way when it
comes to selling your home. Find out which publications your
potential team invests in, what markets are being targeted, and
how your listing will be positioned. Ask how your property is
being marketed to GTA and international buyers as well. Make
sure you also review the Realtor®’s social media marketing on
outlets such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If their social
media presence is sparse or non-existent, you may be losing
out on marketing to a tech-savvy demographic. Look at the
team’s whole package when it comes to marketing: everything
from the for sale sign, to the take away materials, to the team’s
website should be professional and of the highest quality.
4. ARE YOU ADVERTISING TO GTA AND
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS?
Exposure is an important area to explore when you’re interviewing
representation. Asking which markets their team targets will give
you an idea of the size of audience that will see your listing. In
Simcoe County especially, you want to look for a real estate team
that invests in Toronto advertising as more and more buyers are
heading north for affordable housing. Low inventory of homes
in Toronto lead to fierce bidding wars that become not only
local but global news. Recognizing this as an opportunity, many
overseas investors are scooping up real estate north of the GTA,
so make sure to ask if and how your interviewee’s team positions
local properties to the thousands of international buyers.
5. WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM NOT HAPPY
WITH YOUR SERVICE?
This question achieves two things: knowing up front what your
commitment to this Realtor® entails, and getting a sense of what
to expect with regard to customer service. First, you want to
understand if you are bound to the exclusive services of this team
for the agreed upon time frame no matter what, or, if there are
conditions in which your agreement may be re-evaluated. For
example, Faris Team offers a Best Experience Guarantee which
allows clients to cancel their buyer or seller agreement with 24
hours' notice at no cost to them. Second, asking this question will
give you a glimpse of the customer service you can expect from
this partner. Do they outline the legalities of your agreement with
confidence and kindness or are they evasive and answer you with
vague promises? The right response is a well-prepared summary of
additional services and strategies that the Realtor® and their team
would pursue in order to help you achieve your real estate goals.
If and when you’re satisfied with an interviewee, ask your soonto-be
partner for testimonials from other clients. References
and accolades should be readily available for you to review, and
hopefully, after following these questions in an interview, you’ll be
added to the roster of raving fans who are thrilled to recommend
the services and results of the partner you so thoroughly selected.
Meet Mark Faris, CEO & Broker
Mark received his real estate license in 2007 at the age of
24. Together with his wife Joanna, who led the marketing,
Mark focused on redefining industry standards of quality.
Faris Team’s reputation quickly grew, becoming industry
leaders and selling well over 7,100 properties to date.
705.881.9001 | 3 | FarisTeam.ca