I think it’s important to interview multiple potential Realtors. If you are in the Cincinnati area and I am one of those Realtors, I am confident I can meet your expectations.

It’s important that the Realtor you find is a good fit. I often tell my clients that it’s an interview for all of us — we have to know we can work together successfully on the purchase of your home.

As a buyer here in Cincinnati, you may be confused on what questions to ask a Realtor — especially if you are a first time buyer. I’ve tried to simplify the process for you with this handy list of Realtor questions.

Anyone you talk to should be able to provide solid answers to these questions. I have used my own experiences as well as several sources to cultivate a good list of questions. We’ve also provided a handy print-out you can download and take to your meetings!

Happy Hunting.

Realtor Q&A – For Buyers

• How long have you been in the real estate business?
• Are you a member of the National Association of Realtors?
• Do you have any accreditations?
• Do you work full-time on residential real estate?
• How many homes did you sell in the past year as a buyers’ agent?
• As a sellers’ agent?
• How many buyers do you work with at one time? How many sellers?
• How will you search for potential homes for me to view?
• How many homes, on average, do you show your buyers?
• What is your experience in my area? Do you have an area you specialize in?
• Do you have a price-range you specialize in?
• How do I know if this is the right time for me to buy?
• Will you help me decide if my desired price range is appropriate? Can you help me choose a good price range?
• How will you help me determine if my down-payment is appropriate?
• Can you instruct me as to how to find the right properties online?
• How do we schedule a showing for a house we want to see?
• Do you expect/allow us to look at homes on our own?
• Will you show us houses that are not in the MLS (FSBO)?
• Do you require I meet with a lender (and get pre-approved) before I shop for homes?
• Do you have a personal website? Do you have a blog?
• Can you provide me with references and testimonials?
• How do you stay up on current trends? Do you take classes or frequently attend training?
• What is your communication style? How accessible are you? How often will we talk to you?
• What is the make up of your team? Do you have an assistant? Who will I be talking to when I want to schedule a showing?
• Can we review all documents before we sign anything?
• Do you charge your buyers any fees? How do you get paid for the purchase of our home?
• Do you offer any sort of guarantee? Can we break our commitment with you if we are unsatisfied?
• What are your negotiation techniques?
• How can you help me determine if an offer I make good one? Or if the home is a good purchase?
• How will you leverage the best deal for me?
• How will you handle multiple offers?
• Will you be representing other buyers who are looking for homes in the same area and price range as I am?
• Can you recommend other professionals you trust, such as inspectors, lenders, attorney if needed, etc.?
• If you recommend other professionals, do you receive compensation for any business I may do with them?
• Tell me about the inspection process? How do we renegotiate the offer if the inspection reveals a problem?
• Will you attend our inspection?
• What are the average closing costs your buyers have had recently? Are there possible hidden costs might I encounter?
• I currently own a home. Am I obligated to use you to sell? Are there advantages to using you as my selling agent as well?
• What expectations do you have of me as the buyer?
• What separates you from all the other Realtors?
• What questions did I not ask?

Download these questions.

Related...

• March 23, 2009 -- SELLERS: Questions to Ask your Realtor
• March 18, 2009 -- How To Tell if an Agent is Lying to You
• December 8, 2011 -- Get Your Relocation Pre-Buyout Bonus with AmyBSells!
• December 1, 2011 -- You Can Choose Your Own Realtor for Your Corporate Relocation!