How Many Houses Sold In The Pas Year?
Every real estate agent will tell you he or she is the best person for the job of selling your home. You'd like to believe them, but how do you know for sure that they have what it takes to get you a great deal? Don't fall for sweet-talk. Do your homework and check this person's history out.
Selling History
One of the ways you can measure a prospective real estate agent's success is to look at his or her selling history. During your interview, ask how many houses they have sold in the past year. The number they give you will tell you all kinds of information. First, it will tell you about their general skills in terms of selling homes. Second, it will tell you how in touch they are with current market trends. If you wish, you can also ask the prospective realtor how many homes they sell on average in a year. This information will help you figure out if the realtor has just had a lucky (or unlucky) streak, or if they demonstrate a consistent history of selling a certain number of houses a year.
What To Look For
Most real estate experts say that, on average, a realtor should be selling at least one home a month (12 homes a year) in order to remain in business. Highly successful realtors might sell 25-30 homes a year. Of course, the number of homes a realtor sells in a year depends on many factors. For example, there may be more of a market for middle-price-range suburban homes than for large country mansions, so a realtor specializing in one of these areas may sell more or less than the other. Furthermore, some realtors work part-time or freelance, so they may sell less homes in a year, but still be quite good at what they do. This is why interviewing prospective realtors and asking a variety of questions is so crucial. There is no 'magic number' of homes sold in a year that can tell you whether or not a realtor is right for you; it's important to get the whole picture.
