You’re ready to sell your New Orleans home. For whatever reason – upgrading, leaving town, downsizing, whatever – you need to get this house sold. As your top New Orleans real estate agents, we want you to find the perfect agent for you. We can’t be everyone’s cup of whiskey, but we’d love to interview for the job. Here’s the one thing we do know: no matter who you hire, you need to feel good about your choice. If they don’t give you the warm and fuzzies, keep looking. Here’s the nitty-gritty on how to choose a real estate agent.
How do you pick a New Orleans real estate agent to list your home?
That’s a hard question to answer because it’s likely you know 10 real estate agents already!
The quick answer is: interview them. See how the agent makes you feel. Does it sound too good to be true? Or is there not enough info? Most importantly, ask them questions! Here is a list of questions you might want to consider asking the next New Orleans real estate agent who wants to list your home.
- How many homes did you sell last year? How many have you sold this year?
- How long have you been a REALTOR? You likely don’t want to be someone’s first listing. (I mean, someone has to be. But do you want that right now?) Beware of the agents who talk about “being in the real estate market for 10 years.” What does that even mean? That you owned a home for 10 years? No, how long have you been actively licensed is the question.
- Do you have another job or are you a full-time REALTOR? Nothing is worse than trying to track down an agent who has 3 side hustles and not enough time for you or your home for sale.
- If I list with you, will you actually be the person I deal with? Lots of “top agents” will hand you off to an assistant or someone else on their team. Make sure the person you meet is the one actually doing the work.
- How will you market my property? Other than putting it into the MLS, what will you do specifically to bring buyers in?
- How will you market my home online?
- Will you hire a photographer? Run from agents who say they take great pics with their iPhone.
- How much do you think my home is worth? Don’t make the mistake of hiring an agent just because they give you the highest number. The market determines how much your house is worth – not the agent – and pricing too high in the beginning will hurt you.
- Why should I hire you? If your agent can’t tell you what makes them different from the other 6000 agents in New Orleans, keep it moving.
- Do you have any advice to get my home ready to sell? Experienced agents know what matters and aren’t afraid to tell you.
- Do you have any partners to help get my home ready to sell? Painters, home inspectors, stagers, contractors, electricians, plumbers, etc. A good agent has a network of talented people to help you get your house ready.
- How often will you communicate with me and how? Make sure the agent you choose knows who you want to be communicated with and the frequency you’re comfortable with.
- When do you think I should list my house? The answer isn’t always right now. Sometimes we need to wait and you should trust the professionals.
- What would your past clients say is the best thing about working with you? Don’t be afraid to ask for references.
Want to interview us about listing your home? Send a message below or text us!