Key Questions To Ask When Interviewing a Real Estate Agent

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For most people, their home will be the largest financial transaction in their lifetimes so it is critical to carefully choose whom to work with to market your home if deciding to sell. If buying a home is your goal then finding someone that truly understands your needs is essential.

All Realtors® Are Not Created Equal
The most important decision you can make when selling your home is who to work with as a real estate agent. In fact, there are many agents that choose to work primarily with one side of the transaction. Without properly investigating the person you are considering working with, you may never find out if you end up listing your home with an agent that specializes in assisting buyers.

Find Out What They Can Do for You
Just like any other service, some professionals provide a higher level of service while others don’t have as much to offer. Your goal should be to find an agent that delivers the most value to you. That’s why each interview for each person will be different. Your primary goal might be financially motivated. In that case, you may be more concerned with finding an agent that deals with more volume. If customer service is a priority, you would likely want to work with someone that services their clients carefully and thoughtfully while keeping their needs constantly in mind.

How Do They Operate Their Business?
Ask how they run their team and conduct their business, both as individuals and as a cohesive unit. Find out what each team member’s strengths are and decide whether they fit in with your real estate goals. Ask for proof of results, through market reports, company-wide statistics and client testimonials, to find out what they will do to get your home sold.

Time and dedication is another important factor. Do they engage in their real estate business on a full-time basis or is just a part-time endeavor while they have a day job somewhere else? How accessible are they to you and how quickly can you expect responses to your inquiries?

Investigate Their Track Record
Don’t be afraid to ask for evidence of other clients’ experiences. Rather than asking to see a list of references, request a list of their ten most recent transactions and current clients. This will provide an accurate picture of what you can expect through the process of working with them. Find out how many transactions they go through each year – is it the typical 6 to 8 or is it a super team that you’re potentially dealing with?

Decide What Sets Them Apart From Others
In today’s technology centric world, it is critical to find someone that is knowledgeable and in tune with what today’s buyers and sellers want. Ask what they will do to sell your home differently than every other Realtor®. Find out what their marketing methods are and request a look at their sales metrics that prove these methods to be successful.
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At the Shine Team, you know you’re in good hands. Not only because we have a team of dedicated individuals that each specialize in a particular area of real estate, but also because we have years of track record, positive client experiences and countless transactions to show for it.

Contact us today for a custom consultation on how we can help you make your real estate dreams become a reality!

Improving Curb Appeal for Your Home

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Home sellers these days have a lot of things to contend with. Unless the property is absolutely gorgeous the homeowner will need to do something to attract attention and entice buyers to come in.

Like the old adage says, “the first impression is the last impression” and it has a lot of weight when it comes to selling a home. Of course we have all seen those TV shows that depict expert gardeners spending hours, days and maybe even weeks preparing a home’s garden and lawn. But is that even realistic for most of us?  Here are some tips on how you can achieve top-quality results in landscaping and curb appeal without spending lots of time to accomplish it.

Invest in Low-Maintenance Plants, Shrubs and Flowers

Depending on the position of your home you can plant things that do not require much attention. There are plenty of low, medium and high light plants and flowers that can easily function without much attention through an entire season. Some plants even work well with less water – ideal for homes in drier climates.

One easy to care for flowering plant is the daylily. These garden wonders are pest-free, cover a good amount of ground or border space, grow quickly and withstand both hot and cold climates. Colorful additions include plants like rhododendrons and peonies – both available in a variety of colors and each low-maintenance. Be sure to talk to a garden expert where you buy these plants to check on planting location for each.

For greenery and fullness you can add ferns – a plant that is available in thousands of varieties and very easy to care for. Perfect for shady spots in your lawn, ferns also do well in other parts of your landscape area without needing a lot of attention.

Arrange Colorful Patio/Porch Accessories

When you are done planting, the next thing you should do is to make sure the immediately visible exterior portions of the home and the driveway are both clean. A warm and inviting entryway will almost always attract buyers and entice them into wanting to explore behind the front door.

For inspiration, check out some of the home design magazines online or go window shopping online on websites such as potterybarn.com or pier1.com so you can see how their displays infuse bright colors in a warm and inviting way. You don’t have to go all out and spend too much money – just enough to add some dimension and interest to the space. Just one chair with colorful cushions, bright flowers in a striking planter and a topiary or two might be all you need. Of course you also want to invest in a brand new welcome mat that literally welcomes buyers into your home.

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Enhancing curb appeal does not have to break your back or your bank – but by spending just a little bit of time you can spruce up your place enough to make buyers head your way rather than to the neighbor thatdoes have a green thumb and plenty of time!