7 Critical Questions

You Need To Ask Your Realtor

Before You List your Home

PLUS 3 BONUS QUESTIONS TO PROVE THEY ARE THE RIGHT CHOICE

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About the Author

Frank Sanya
Broker/Owner of Market Leaders Realty Group

Over 3000 homes SOLD - and I’m going to sell YOURS

Let me put my 40+ years of experience to work for you

Hi, I’m Frank, a certified realtor with over 40 years

experience. I’ve worked with countless home sellers, home
buyers, realtors, and real estate professionals. This guide
is to help you make the best, most informed decision
when choosing a realtor to sell your home.

+1 (301)254 3122

franksanya45@gmail.com

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Interviewing your realtor
S elling your home is one of the biggest financial events
of your life. A subpar agent can cost you thousands of
dollars. A bad agent could cost you even more and create
exhausting delays and contractual issues.

Not all realtors are equal, and choosing the right one is
vital if you don’t want to throw money down the drain
and waste time. Your realtor needs to be someone you
can trust, someone who can handle any hiccups without
wasting your time, someone who’ll get the best selling
price for your home as quick as possible.

Finding (and listing with) the right realtor is like hiring an

employee or personal assistant. It’s important to use a
watertight interview process that quickly reveals which
realtors are mediocre, and which realtors are motivated
and excellent at their job.

These 10 questions will leave you with an in-depth

understanding of a realtor’s competence, experience, and
personality. It’ll sort those who are simply making bold
claims from high performers.

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Interviewing your realtor
 A QUICK WORD OF

WARNING
Not all realtors will want to answer these
questions. If you face pushback, think about what
they could be hiding (or not know if they’re new
to real estate).

This is one of the biggest financial transactions of

your life. You want to make sure it’s handled by
someone who knows what they are doing.

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Interviewing your realtor
 ASK THE FOLLOWING

7 QUESTIONS
BEFORE YOU LIST
BEFORE YOU LIST

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Interviewing your realtor
QUESTION 1:

“What makes you different

from other agents…
Why should I choose you?”

Most people like to leave this question for last, but asking
right from the start gives you a unique chance to catch the
realtor off guard. If they have a suitable amount of
experience, they should be able to give you a good,
fact-based answer.

If they mention these topics, you

know you’re in good hands:
• A detailed marketing plan that’s proven to work

• A unique take on how to make your home stand out in the

competition (bonus points if it’s relevant to your area)

• How they help streamline the sales process and minimize

hassle for you (there’s nothing worse than hiring a person
who ends up creating extra work).

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Interviewing your realtor
QUESTION 2:

“What is your or your company’s

reputation in this market?”
If you’ve been looking for a realtor for a while now, you’re
probably become immune to bold claims like “We’re the #1
Realtor in this area” and ''We sold 500 of homes last year!”

If you’re thinking “yeah, but can you sell mine?” then you’re
thinking the right way.

But there IS a reason these claims are plastered on every

billboard, poster and flyer: They are relevant.

If you find out what results a realtor (or their company) got
previously, you’ll get a good understanding of how effective
they are. Although likeability is important, try to leave your
emotions out of this question and evaluate your realtor on a
logical merit alone.
.

Look out for this major red flag

You might be surprised to hear it, but a large number of
realtors only sell 2 homes a year. That’s the national average
in the United States. If they are on this low level, they
probably can’t afford an assistant or the money to run an
effective marketing campaign for your home.

Results you should be impressed

by: • More than 20 homes sold in a year (per realtor for
companies)

• A unique or extensive marketing plan

• Quick average turnaround time from listing to sale

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Interviewing your realtor
QUESTION 3:

“Who controls your

advertising efforts?”
The true purpose of this question is to build your
understanding based on the previous one. Now you know
how they market houses, you want to figure out if they can
help sell your home.

Realtors who work within a brokerage are at a significant

disadvantage when advertising your listing. If they are not
in control of their advertising efforts, you’ll be competing
against every other listing at the brokerage. On the other
side of the fence, you’ll have the full force of the
brokerage’s advertising power and pool of buyers. It’s a
trade-off you’ll have to take into consideration.

The key information you need:

• Do they have the ability to market your property so it
stands out?

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Interviewing your realtor
QUESTION 4:

“What areas have you

sold in recently?”
The old-school ‘way’ was to only trust and hire a realtor that
specializes in your area. While that’s not a bad thing these
days, it’s not necessarily a good thing either.

A realtor who has experience in multiple areas will also be

equipped to expose your house to a wider buyer base. By
selling homes in a range of neighbourhoods and states, a
realtor proves they can bring buyers from other locations or
even internationally (and remember, multiple buyers quickly
create a bidding environment). Foreign property sales
accounted for around $121 billion in 2018, so make sure you
don’t miss out with a realtor that’s focused solely in your
area.

Your realtor should be able to bring you a complete listing of

their sales (in your area and beyond) and sales by other
realtors.

Here’s what you want to find out:

• How diverse is their selling portfolio

• Have they sold to any international buyers?

• What type of home do they typically sell?

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Interviewing your realtor
QUESTION 5:

“How close is your average

selling price in comparison to
the original listing price?”
This statistic is also known as a list to sell ratio and is
typically given in percentage format. For example, if an agent
has a 98% list to sell ratio, that means they get an average of
98% of the listing price (or $490,000 selling price from a
$500,000 listing).

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR),

over the last two decades, the average list to sale ratio
nationwide is around 83% - 84% (or $420,000 from a
$500,000 listing).

Here’s what you learn from a realtor’s

list to sell ratio:

1. How good the realtor is at pricing homes

accurately.
2. How good the realtor is at getting a good deal
for the seller.

Going the extra mile:

You can check a realtor’s list to sell ratio at your local Real
Estate Board. Check if the agent’s performance is higher or
lower than last year’s board average. It should give you a
realistic idea of what your home will sell for with that agent
at their suggested listing price.

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Interviewing your realtor
QUESTION 6:

“How do you plan on

marketing my home?”
Marketing is a vital component to selling homes. Many home
sellers and realtors underestimate the power of good
marketing (both online and offline). If you want to sell as
quickly as possible and for maximum profit, you need more
than one buyer to bid on your home.

The best realtors have a strong online presence and a

sophisticated understanding of social media platforms (and
how to advertise on them). With the rise of platforms like
Facebook and Google Ads, you can attract not only buyers
from different neighbourhoods, but also international buyers
who are looking to invest.

Make sure your realtor explains how they plan on marketing

your home in detail, and especially look for mention of online
advertising knowledge. If their plan is only to list on the
company website and monthly print ads then it’s going to
take a lot longer to sell.

The details you need to hear:

• How much money do they spend advertising the homes
they list (this is one of the quickest, easiest, and most
accurate ways to compare realtors)

• What do they know about different marketing methods?

You can judge their level of marketing ability by how much
detail they go into

• Do they know what method of advertising is most

effective in your area? For example, is it brochures or
leaflets? Facebook ads or an online ad-board? A realtor
who can confidently answer this question is at the top of
their game.

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Interviewing your realtor
QUESTION 7:

“How long do your listings

take to sell on average?”

On average, the longest a home takes to sell is between 30

and 60 days. The maximum length of time your home will be
listed (without re-listing) is 90 days.

A realtor who can sell homes within 30 days consistently is

doing something right.

Sometimes houses take longer to sell, and other times you

can get an offer in on the first day. It’s often a case of right
place right time. But if your realtor’s results are consistently
fast, you know that your property will have a good chance of
selling quickly.

Going the extra mile:

Again, you can get this information from your local Real
Estate Board. Check your realtor’s performance compared to
the board average and use it to better predict how long it will
take to sell your home with this particular agent.

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 BE 100% SURE WITH

3 BONUS
QUESTIONS
BEFORE YOU LIST

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QUESTION 7:

“How many buyers are

you currently talking to?”

Your property is either in a ‘sellers market’ or a ‘buyers

market’. A good realtor can tell you which one right away.

A seller's market is the best scenario for a home seller. It

means there are more buyers than homes for sale (demand
exceeds supply). If your property is in a buyer’s market, there
are more homes than buyers, which drives down your listing
price (supply exceeds demand).

The more buyers an agent is working with, the better your

chances to sell fast for a high price. A good agent will
facilitate a bidding atmosphere where multiple buyers place
offers on your house and push up the selling price (often to
exceed the original listing price).

What you want to know:

• What is their specific system to attract buyers?

• Do they know how to create a bidding environment?

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Interviewing your realtor
QUESTION 7:

“Do you have any

references?”

No matter how great an interview with a realtor goes, it’s

always a good idea to check up on their references. These
references should be from previous clients (both buyers and
sellers are okay), not brokers or their head office.

What to ask the references:

• Did the realtor do what they say they did?

• How happy was the reference with the service they

received?

• Did the reference get what they expected/wanted in terms

of price and timeframe?

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Interviewing your realtor
 QUESTION 7:

“Okay, let's say, worst case

scenario, I’m not happy working
with you after some time. Can I
cancel my listing contract?”

This is the ultimate safety question. Be very careful with

how you evaluate the answer.
There are penalties and broker protection periods that
safeguard the realtor, but not you.

The agent should clearly explain the contract to you without

confusing you with industry jargon.

#1 thing to watch out for: lengthy contracts that lock you in

EVEN IF an agent ceases to market your house.

What you want to know:

• What is the penalty (if any) if you cancel the contract
prematurely?

• What happens if you are not happy with the service

provided?

• What happens if you sell your house without the realtor’s

help? Let’s say your neighbour decides to buy your house
— are you still required to pay commission?

• What commission you are paying the agent

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Interviewing your realtor
What it sounds like when you
FIND THE RIGHT REALTOR
“Your presentation is excellent and thanks for all your advice,
your honesty, and your dedication for getting our house sold,
in 3 days for 102 % of our asking price. We will surely
recommend you to all our friends and families who are
thinking of selling their properties.”
- Dr. & Mrs. Wolfe

“My experience with your real

estate team has left an indelible
imprint of the most positive
type, with me. You restored my
faith in the ways of fair play and
honesty in the field of customer,
business relations. I can’t thank
you enough.”
- Mr. McNally

I needed to get this house sold

in 30 days as I was starting my
new job in Atlanta, Georgia. I
wanted to hire someone who
had a good reputation for
moving houses fast. Your name
kept on coming up time and
time again. Not only did Frank
sell my house in 5 days, but
sold it for my full asking price. If
anyone needs to sell your home
fast, there is only one person to
call, and that is Frank Sanya and
his real estate team period. ”
- Ms. Greenwald

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Interviewing your realtor
Ready to get your home

SOLD?
Hi, I’m Frank, a professional realtor with 40+ years
experience and 3000+ property sales. I’ve helped people just
like you to sell their home successfully for maximum profit in
the minimum time frame. If you want to sell your home
successfully, book an online meeting with me and ask me
these questions (and any others you may have). I guarantee
you’ll love the answers. 

Beyond getting you a great deal on your home, here’s my

promise to you: Your home-selling journey will be
hassle-free. No confusion over contracts, no anguish over
listing, no pointless open houses… just great service. 

BOOK A TIMESLOT ONLINE

+1 (301)254 3122

“We knew this was not an easy house to sell, as 3 agents

previously tried to get this property sold. To our
amazement, not only did you sell this property in less than
30 days, you also listed and sold the property by yourself. I
can’t tell you how grateful we are.
- Mr. & Mrs. Barnett

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Interviewing your realtor