Selling Your Home? How to Find the Best Listing Agent

Remember the jitters you felt when you bought your first house? Get ready to feel them again if youre planning to sell your home. One of the best ways tokeep your sale on track and take the pressure off your shoulders is to hire an experienced real estate agent.

When you sell your home, you want to get the greatest possiblereturn on your investment and find the most qualified buyer. Marketing, showings, negotiations and closing must be handledin a short time frame; you mightnot want to tackle all thaton your own.

With so many different real estate brokerages and agents out there, it can be hard to know whom to trust. Here are tips and interview questions you should ask potential agents before choosing one tolist your home.

Get referrals from people who have worked with the agent

Word-of-mouth referrals are great, but not everyone who sends a name your way has actually used the person tosell ahome. Ask the person whos doing the referring if he or she worked with theagent, says Tom Salomone, president of the National Association of Realtors. A referral doesnt hold a lot of weight if it cant accurately convey an agents quality of work, communication style or manner oftreating clients and other people in a transaction.

Interview at least three agents

You wouldnt settle for just one bid if you were renovating your kitchen or getting a new roof, right? Likewise, you should interview at least three agents in person to seewhether you feel comfortable with them, Salomone says.

Zach Finn, an independent real estate agent in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, agrees. You dont want to default toa popular brokerage or the first agent you find on Yelp; do your research, Finn says.

The fact is, having a license doesnt make you a real estate expert, Finn says. Many people make the mistake of going with the first agent they meet or hear about.

Look at productivity and education

Some agents have plenty of experience and happy clients to their credit. Some, however, havent closed a deal in years. Research credentials online and make sure agents youre consideringare licensed to practice in your state. When you visit an agents website, check the number of currentandrecently sold listings.

Real estateagents can earn professional designations conferred by trade organizations, such as theNational Association of Realtorsor other groups. While there are plenty of good real estate agents who dont have these designations, extra training shows a commitment to learning best industry practices and delivering top-notch service.

Ask the right questions

When you interview potentiallisting agents, its important to be prepared with a list of questions. You want to see if someone is qualified and has the right experience not only to market your home, but to get it sold as quickly as possible and for top dollar. Ask each agent:

1. What are the comparable listings in my neighborhood?If an agent youre interviewing doesnt have a list of comparable homes that have sold in your neighborhood on hand, thats a huge red flag, Salomone says. Comparables (called comps in the industry) are the pillar for determining your homes value and deciding on an asking price. A well-rounded comparative market analysis will show current listings andhomessold in the past three to six months thatare similar to yours in size and amenities.

2. What do you think my home is worth and why?During a listing presentation or before it, most agents will ask to walk through your home so they can take notes and see what theyll have to work with. It also helps them crunch numbers against the comps to provide you with an asking price they feel is in line with market conditions and your goals. You might have an asking price in mind, but your agent might not agree. Its important to have an agent that will support your decisions but is also willing to tell it like it is, Finn says. The right agent will challenge your idea and perception of an inflated market value and try to set realistic expectations.

3. What wouldyour marketing plan for my home include?A good real estate agent will have a robust plan to promote your listing in an effort to find the right pool of buyers. Just listed postcards, open houses, virtual tours, professional photography and/or broker tours for buyers agents (particularly for luxury homes) are all factors that may go into a marketing plan. Ask for examples of marketing materials andscope out agentswebsites to see how they promote their listings.

4. Are you a full-time real estate agent, or is this a side job?This question is crucial because selling real estate requires full-time effort and shouldnt be treated lightly, Salomone says. You dont want to hire someone who cant take calls on your home and show it during the week because he or she is working 40-plus hours somewhere else, he says. Ask agents how long they have been selling real estate and how many listings theyve sold recently. If someone hasnt closed a deal in several months, thats a reason for concern.

5. What is your commission rate?The typical real estate commission is about 6%; oftentimes, the listing agent splits that amount with the buyers agent. Some agents might be willing to negotiate their commission, but dont count on it. After all, youre paying for a professional service. Leave the commission question for last, butmake sure you understand how much youll be charged for a real estate agents servicesand what exactly is included.

Next steps to hire alisting agent

Once youve met with a few agents and foundone you click with, youll likely sign a listing agreement in which you agree to a certain term of service at a set commission rate. Typically, contracts range from 90 to 120 days, assuming it will, on average, take about 40 to 60 days to get from listing stage to an accepted offer. Keep in mind, though, that this timeline could be shorter or longer,based on local market conditions.

Now that the tough part is over, relax and let your real estate agent take the wheel. Make sure to keep the lines of communication open with your agentso you knowwhats happening with your home. Happy selling!

Deborah Kearns is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website.

This article originally appeared onNerdWallet.