Selling Your Home? Here Are the Blunt Questions You Must Ask Every Agent – From a Broker with 30+ Years in Orangeville & Area
I'm Kevin Flaherty, and for over 30 years, I've been helping homeowners navigate the real estate market in Orangeville, Mono, Amaranth, East Garafraxa, Shelburne, Grand Valley, Caledon (Alton, Belfountain, Caledon East, Palgrave), Erin, Hillsburgh, and Alliston. I've seen multiple market cycles, from boom to bust and everything in between. What I've learned is this: choosing the right listing agent isn't about who has the flashiest ads or the slickest pitch. It's about asking the tough questions and getting straight answers. Your home is likely your biggest asset, and who you trust to sell it can cost or save you tens of thousands of dollars. This isn't a game for part-timers or those who rely on outdated methods. This article lays out the essential questions you need to ask to cut through the noise and find an agent who can truly deliver.
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Ten Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Realtor
Not all realtors are the same. If you decide to seek the help of a realtor when selling your home, you will need some good information before you can make any decision. Picking a realtor is one of those critical decisions that can cost or save you tens of thousands of dollars. There are very specific questions you should be asking to ensure that you get the best representation for your needs. Most realtors would prefer that you don't ask these questions, because the knowledge you'll gain from their honest answers will give you a very good idea of what outcome you can expect from using this realtor. In real estate, not all things are created equal. Hiring a realtor is just like any hiring process, with you on the boss's side of the desk. It's critical that you make the right decision about who will handle the sale of what is probably the single largest financial investment you will make.
1. What Makes You Different From Other Realtors? Why Should I List My Home With You?
It's a much tougher real estate market now than it was a decade ago. The days of simply putting a sign on the lawn and waiting for offers are long gone. You need an agent with unique marketing plans and programs to ensure your home stands out favorably against competing properties. What specific, tangible things does this agent offer that others don't? How will they help you sell your home in the least amount of time, with the least amount of hassle, and for the most amount of money? Don't settle for vague promises; demand specifics.
2. What Is Your Track Record, and How Does It Stack Up Against Other Realtors?
Everywhere you look, agents boast about being "number one" for this or that, often without quoting the actual number of homes they've sold. You might think, "Why should I care about their accolades? I just want my home sold fast and for top dollar." And you'd be right to think that. But here's the blunt truth: success in real estate is measured by selling homes. If one agent is consistently selling a lot of homes while others are selling only a handful, there's a reason. What are they doing differently?
You might be surprised to learn that most realtors sell fewer than three homes a year. This low volume makes it incredibly difficult for them to execute full-impact marketing for your home. They simply can't afford the advertising and marketing spend required for high-level exposure. At this level, they likely can't even afford an assistant, let alone a dedicated marketing team, meaning they're trying to do everything themselves. My 30+ years in this business, including a decade as the overall top producer by gross sales among 1,800+ agents, isn't just a bragging point; it's proof of a consistent, results-driven approach across every market condition imaginable. It means I've invested in the systems and team necessary to get homes sold.
3. What Are Your Overall Marketing Plans for My Home?
If your home isn't selling, it comes down to one of two things: price or marketing. If your home doesn't have exceptional marketing, you'll likely be forced to reduce the price or accept a lower offer. The quality of the marketing and the exposure your home receives are absolutely critical. How much money and effort does this agent actually spend marketing the homes they list, compared to others you're interviewing? You need to know everything the agent will do, and what they won't, before you sign any agreement. Don't accept generic answers; demand a detailed, actionable plan.
4. How Many Buyers Are You Currently Working With?
In today's high-tech real estate industry, agents should know exactly how many buyers they're working with and, within reason, how many potential buyers exist for your specific home. This isn't guesswork. This requires advanced online data mining strategies that track buyer activity, utilizing machine learning and predictive analytics across all listings in the target market. This can reveal a list of the most interested buyers for a particular home.
But don't just take their word for it. Ask the agent to show you the list of potential buyers for your home, the background data collected on them, and precisely how they plan to market your home to those buyers. The bottom line here is, unless your agent has specialized, full-time marketing staff, they won't be able to answer this with any real substance. And beware of agents who claim they have "a" buyer for your home. Chances are, they're trying to get you to list with them first before bringing you an offer. It's exposure to all potential buyers that gets you top dollar for your home, not just one. If an agent truly has a buyer, and your home is listed with another agent who has a robust marketing plan, that buyer can still purchase it. The difference is, your home gets exposed to the entire market, not just a single prospect.
5. Do You Provide Floor Plans That Give the Square Footage of the Home and Show Where the Measurements Were Taken?
Many agents don't provide actual square footage, opting instead for vague size ranges like "1500-2000 sq ft" or "2000-2500 sq ft." Buyers want to know the precise size of the home they're looking at. They also need to know where the measurements were taken so they can accurately plan furniture placement and truly understand the space. This can only be achieved with a professional, detailed floor plan. Anything less is a disservice to potential buyers and can lead to disappointment and missed opportunities.
6. Do You Offer an Online Showing That Is Narrated?
Even if a buyer is physically standing in a home, they might miss key features that add value or have unanswered questions. For example, being in a home doesn't tell them the age of the shingles or if the water heater is owned or rented. In fact, a potential buyer's understanding of a home drops significantly without proper narration. Narration, combined with all forms of multimedia, is the only way to ensure all of your home's features and benefits – including location benefits in areas like Orangeville, Mono, or Caledon – are highlighted to potential buyers online. Failure to do this could make your home appear overpriced and risk it being discounted. This is why my approach focuses on a comprehensive, narrated online experience, not just static pictures or a basic virtual tour.
Click On The Play Button Below To See A Sample
7. What in Your Marketing Provides Online Buyers with a Clear Understanding of a Listing’s Colors, Composition, Layout, and Feel for the Size of the Rooms?
Not all online buyers can look at floor plans and clearly understand what it would be like to be in the home. For a home's online representation to truly be an "online showing," it must make potential buyers feel as if they've been in the home and been told everything about it. The only way to achieve this is through a virtual environment combined with real footage of the house. The end product must not require any special equipment or skills from the viewer. This is what I call a video narrated VR animated online showing.
Let me be blunt: a typical "virtual tour" offered by many agents is far inferior. Virtual tours require the user to navigate controls to move around the house, they have no narration, they cannot show rooms vacant, they don’t highlight outdoor features or the benefits of the surrounding area, and they cannot be marketed as a video on platforms like YouTube. My video narrated VR animated online showing is designed to overcome all these limitations, providing an immersive, informative experience that truly showcases your property and its unique selling points, whether it's a family home in Shelburne or a rural estate in Erin.
8. What Kind of Reporting Do You Provide Me Regarding the Activity on My House?
Typical feedback from agents often consists of reporting what people who viewed your home said they didn't like – "too many stairs," "different layout," "wrong colors," etc. This feedback is rarely useful to you as the seller. Useful feedback is related to actual levels of interest in your home.
If your home has its own custom webpage, statistical tracking of viewers on that page can reveal genuine levels of interest. For example, when someone finds a home online that they like, the first thing they do is stay looking at it longer. The second thing they do is go back and look at it again. Your agent should be able to provide you with a weekly report that not only shows how many people have visited your home's custom webpage, but also how long, on average, viewers stayed there, and how many viewers returned a second time. This information is incredibly useful when an offer is received, helping you understand how to handle it given the true level of market interest.
9. What Happens When You’re Busy and a Buyer Wants to See My Home?
Many agents operate as a "one-man show." They have a lot to do and simply cannot be in two places at once. This means if they're busy, a potential buyer might have to wait to see your home, or worse, move on to another property. With a properly structured team of agents sharing the workload and clients, showings are far more likely to happen at the buyer's convenience, and therefore, more likely to occur. This isn't about having multiple agents just to have them; it's about ensuring your home is always accessible to interested buyers, maximizing your opportunities.
10. How Many Different Places Online Will My Listing Appear?
Many agents hope you believe that the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is the entire market. Placing your listing in only one place online significantly reduces the workload and expense for the agent, but it also drastically limits your home's exposure. The more relevant places your home appears online, the more exposure it will get, and the faster it will sell. More exposure means more money in your pocket.
The agent you're interviewing should be able to provide you with concrete proof of everywhere your listing will appear online. Furthermore, it's not just about where your home's marketing package appears, but how it's placed at different locations. The agent should have a detailed syndication and search engine optimization (SEO) expert in charge of ensuring it's done properly. Teams can have significant advantages over one person trying to be an expert at everything. A properly structured real estate team has different positions filled by people with expertise in various areas crucial to marketing a client's home.
Syndication locations are subject to change without notice. Some conditions apply to some locations.
Remember, 99% of buyers will find their next home online and will shortlist properties online. The best way to get your home maximum exposure is to create an online showing so detailed that the buyer is as informed, or even more informed, than if they had physically visited the home. This is far more detailed than just pictures or a basic video. It's also critical to have this online showing syndicated to as many relevant locations online as possible, ensuring it's seen by the widest possible audience of potential buyers.
Red Flags: What to Watch Out For When Interviewing Agents
After 30 years, I've seen every trick in the book. Here are the undeniable red flags that should make you walk away, fast:
The Part-Timer & The Over-Promiser
A part-time agent simply lacks the availability and commitment required to effectively market your home. How can they be fully invested in your sale if real estate isn't their primary focus? Signs include limited availability for showings, slow response times, and a general lack of in-depth market knowledge for areas like Grand Valley or Amaranth. If they can't commit to your schedule, they can't commit to your sale.
Equally dangerous is the agent who over-promises on price without a solid, data-driven rationale. They'll tell you what you want to hear just to get your listing. A realistic approach to pricing, backed by a thorough Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) and an understanding of current market conditions, is absolutely essential for a successful sale. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost always is.
Poor Communication & Vague Marketing
Poor communication is a deal-breaker. This isn't just about delayed responses; it's about a lack of proactive updates and clear, consistent information. If an agent can't articulate a clear, comprehensive marketing plan, or if their plan relies on outdated or ineffective techniques, they are not fully invested in your sale. Demand an agent who demonstrates a detailed strategy and maintains open, honest lines of communication throughout the entire process. Your peace of mind, and your bottom line, depend on it.
Look, selling your home is a major financial event. You need an agent who isn't just going through the motions, but who has the experience, the systems, and the dedication to get you the best possible outcome. Don't be afraid to ask these tough questions. Your future depends on it.
To learn more about the services you should demand from your agent, or to discuss your specific situation in Orangeville, Mono, Amaranth, East Garafraxa, Shelburne, Grand Valley, Caledon (Alton, Belfountain, Caledon East, Palgrave), Erin, Hillsburgh, or Alliston, reach out directly.
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Conclusion
Choosing the right real estate agent is crucial for maximizing your home's value and ensuring a smooth selling process. By asking the right questions, you can uncover the agent's true capabilities and commitment to your sale. Don't leave your biggest asset in the hands of someone unqualified; take the time to find an expert who can deliver results. Contact me today to discuss how my extensive experience and marketing team can help you achieve your selling goals.
Contact Kevin Flaherty direct at 226-270-6433
Book free no obligation online consultation at https://flaherty.ca/kevinscalendar-zoom
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Learn More About How This Marketing Plan Will Work For You: https://flaherty.ca/sellers
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