5 Surprising Questions You’d Never Think to Ask a Buyer’s Agent but Definitely Should

When you’re in the market to buy an apartment in NYC, it’s essential that you take the time to interview your chosen buyer’s agent properly. This person will be your guide, representative and council through the buying process. As such, it’s crucial that you have the right one for the job. The way to do this is by asking them some tough questions.

There will be obvious ones, such as ‘What are your fees?’ ‘What Neighborhoods do you specialize in?’ and ‘How long have you been in the business?’ These are good questions, but there are other more probing ones that you might not think to ask. To give you some ideas, here are five questions you’d never think to ask a buyer’s agent but definitely should.

 1. Who was your most challenging client and how did you handle it?

You’ll want a buyer’s agent that knows how to handle challenges with grace and professionalism. Having them relate a client horror story will give you an insight into how they deal with challenging people and circumstances. Any agent that immediately starts trash talking a former client in the worst terms should raise a few eyebrows. That’s not the way a professional should speak about former clients nor is it an agent you should consider working with. But if they demonstrate patience and expertise in how they handled a difficult situation you can be a lot surer of them.

2. If it was you looking to buy a place. Where would you look and why?

You’ll work best with an agent that has a similar lifestyle to yours. Asking this question gives you an insight into what the up-and-coming neighborhoods are but also your agent’s mindset. You’ll both work together much better if the agent listens properly and understands your needs on a personal level. For instance, if they have a family, they’ll know what neighborhoods are the best for raising kids. If they’re career orientated, they’ll know what amenities and local services are vital to you.

3. How can you help me narrow down my choices and fit house hunting into my busy schedule?

House hunting can be very time consuming and exhausting. You won’t have time to see every place your agent finds so you’ll want to know how much legwork their willing to do for you. Their answer will not just tell you how they’ll help you narrow down your choices but also what their approach to house hunting will be. A good agent will know all this in advance and have a good system that allows you to eliminate options without having to drag you out there. For instance, taking additional photos or videos of each apartment, they preview and giving you an honest opinion on its pros and cons.

A great buyers agent should tell you when it is a lemon. – Gea Elika, Principal Broker of Elika Real Estate

4. What are some ways I could make my offer more attractive other than raising the price?

Money always opens doors expect for a Co-op, if you’re to compete in a hot market like New York, you’ll need an agent with a few more tricks up their sleeve then just upping the price. They should demonstrate the right market knowledge and negotiation skills that will give you an advantage over the competitors. This is as simple as asking the sellers agent the right questions to find out what is most important to them. It could be a quick closing, a delayed closing, a post possession agreement a specific contingency or just a buyer they like and trust.

5. How do you help the buyer’s come to the right decision?

Sometimes a simple list of pros and cons won’t be enough. That’s when having an agent who fully understands your needs and has clarity of vision can help move things along. You should be able to feel comfortable talking with them about any issues or concerns you might have including property valuation and future potential of a particular property or neighborhood. An experienced agent will help you look past the small details and see the bigger picture.

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