“SERVICE”, “RESULTS” – What do these really mean??

Seriously, folks, don’t you expect to get “service” and “results” when you hire a “professional”? The real question you should ask any real estate agent is “What do you do to assure me great service and results?”

When someone boasts that they give good service, or that they provide results for you, you really need to look at what KIND of service and results you will be receiving. Some real estate agents think that putting a sign in the yard, and placing the listing in the MLS is providing good “service”. This may really be all you will be getting. “Results” could be defined as a sale for your property, or just activity (calls, etc) on your listing. There are many stages of service in the real estate industry, and you as a consumer should ask the questions needed to be certain that your agent’s definition of these terms are equal to your own expectations.

Don’t ever assume that the realtor that you bought a house from in the past is the best agent to sell your home now. Listing agents and selling agents can be very different, and you need to ask questions about the service you will receive BEFORE you sign a listing. How and where will they advertise your home to make it stand out in today’s market, and what can you expect during the process?

Ask for a plan. When interviewing agents – and this goes for both sellers and buyers – you should ask the agent to give you a plan of what they do to provide you with the best service. They need to know what you expect during the process, how often you want to be contacted, and they need to be able to answer all your questions in the interim.

Buying or selling property is already stressful enough. When you are talking about one of the largest investments you have or will ever make, don’t just entrust it to just ANY real estate agent.