Asking the right questions is essential to a successful real estate transaction. Glenn Phillips, CEO of Beach Homes Realty, explains four questions to never ask your beach real estate agent.
- “How many views did my listing get online?” This is a trick question if your home is properly syndicated to multiple websites online. If your home has a high number of views, you start to think the websites aren’t good. However, if your house isn’t getting views, you’ll also think the sights are no good. The real question for views is why you aren’t getting a transaction from them. To answer this question, look at the price of your home. Buyers may look at your home and think it’s overpriced and never make an offer.
- “Should we counter-offer?” Never let negotiations end with you. You should always counter-offer; when you stop countering, you’ve killed the deal. Additionally, counter-offers don’t always have to be about price. You can change different variables, such as concessions or repairs.
- “Can you co-list with my relative?” When you ask your agent this question, you’re really asking them to split the money with your family member, even if the agent does all the work. If you want your relative or friend to have part of the money, just write them a check. Additionally, if you aren’t comfortable that your agent can’t pull their weight, don’t hire them.
- “Where is your office?” For beach properties, buyers almost always come from cities or even states away. They’re in town to see the property, not go to an office. The buyers really don’t care if the agent has a local office. If the agent has the resources, technology, and national market reach, a local office doesn’t matter.
- “Does your brokerage have a lot of agents?” For a bonus question, it doesn’t matter if a brokerage has a lot of agents. In reality, a competent agent with a good reputation and history of success may be at a large brokerage, or they may not. In fact, the agents in that brokerage are competing with each other for listings, so more agents don’t necessarily mean it’s a better brokerage.
Don’t ask the wrong questions when searching for your real estate agent or buying and selling your home. Visit beach-homes.com to connect with expert beach agents ready to guide you through beach real estate.