Agent Interview

(Eric’s answers are in italics)

1. Are you a realtor?A realtor is a member of the National Association of Realtors and bound to its strict code of ethics. Realtors are expected to maintain a higher knowledge about the buying and selling process than practitioners who are not members.Eric is a member and has been since be coming a real estate licensee in 1994.
2. How long have you been selling real estate ?Eric has been a licensed and active, full-time real estate professional since 1994.
3. What organizations/designations do you have?
   Designations and organizations that are joined by a real estate salesperson indicate a higher level of commitment to staying current and active in the marketplace, staying up to date with changes in law in the real estate industry and having completed courses of specialty designation.
   Eric belongs to the:
   National Association of Realtors
   California Association of Realtors
   San Francisco Association of Realtors
   San Francisco Apartment Association
   Small Property Owners of San Francisco
   Golden Gate Business Association
   Greater West Portal Neighborhood Association
   Neighbors of Arden Wood
   Is a regular contributor to the neighborhood newspaper, ‘The West Portal Monthly’
4. What homes have you sold that are comparable to mine?What the comparable sales are in the neighborhood. Most of the activity on your home will occur in the first 30 days. Overpricing your home to start with can net you less later with price reductions necessary to get people re-interested in your home; pricing your home correctly is
   critical.

   Eric will discuss this with each client on an individual basis. He has extensive experience and knowledge of many building types in locations throughout San Francisco.

   Find out the marketing time on the property, the amount listed for, sold for, or failed to
   sell and why and any glitches that came up during escrow and how the listing agent
   handled them.

5. What is your current and prior experience that makes you qualified to sell my home? Eric has an educational background in architecture and design. He is licensed and practiced architecture for nine years prior to entering the real estate profession. His experiences included design, planning and construction management.
   Eric has bought and sold multiple properties over the years, has taught interior design and been a San Francisco landlord since 2001.
   He has been a full-time real estate professional since 1994, closing hundreds of transactions of various building types, price ranges and complexity.
   He works with both buyers and sellers, but not in the same transaction.
   His trademark honesty and integrity are his client’s best tools to achieve their goals.It’s good information to find out how active the agent is with both buyers and sellers and how they work to accomplish the goals of their clients.
6. What do I do if the agents have different suggested listing prices?There are many variables to consider in establishing price on a home, such as market conditions, location, condition and tenancy. Watch for agents who try to “buy your listing.” Some agents will promise you that they can get more money for your home than it is currently worth in the marketplace. Look at all the variables in establishing price and consider all opinions and methods of pricing, not just the highest number.
7. What is your average list to sale price ratio? In 2009, Eric’s listing ratio was 96.5% of value and selling ratio was 96.14% of value (2009 was a buyer’s market)
   In 2008, Eric’s listing ratio was 112% of value and selling ratio was 101% of value (2008 was a buyer’s market also, but list prices came down to allow for overbidding)This is market dependent. In a seller’s market, you’d expect to sell properties close to, or over asking price, pushing the ratio up, while in a buyer’s market, you would expect properties to sell at asking or a little below. The closer these numbers align, the closer to the real market price your agent has priced your home. If your home was overpriced, you should expect a larger spread between asking and selling price. If your home is overpriced, you will most likely net less when you close than if you had priced your home correctly to begin with.
8. What is the average length of time your listings are on the market? This is also market dependent. On average, Eric’s listings sell within 45 to 90 days. He will stay in touch with his seller clients before and after each showing and provide feedback. If a home hasn’t received an offer within the first 3-4 weeks, the marketing and pricing strategy needs to be revisited.The longer the time, the more likely the salesperson isn’t a stickler for marketing or realistic pricing.
9. What specifically will you do to get my home sold? This is market and property specific. Eric will discuss these in detail with each seller to see what special considerations or marketing strategies will work best for the specific situation.Eric has a 32 point marketing plan that he will use as the outline from which to market your property.. At the time of signing the listing, we will review the marketing plan to see what items apply, and what items need to be customized to your property.Zephyr Real Estate is a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, an international referral network, connecting our listings to people relocating to San Francisco.Eric will fully expose your property to the market place quickly and work with you to net you the most money possible from the sale of your property.You want to find out the advertising methods, showing schedule and amount of time an agent will devote to the property to yield you the highest price possible given current market conditions.
10. What will you do that no other agent does that will give me a marketing advantage over other sellers?
11. How often will I hear from you once I’ve given you the listing? Eric will contact you at least weekly and most likely more. He will contact you before and after each showing and give you feedback on the showing to better gauge market activity and buyer interest. He will contact you in the way you prefer to be contacted, phone, e-mail, or text messaging.Communication is critical. You should be called after showings or weekly whichever is more frequent to give you feedback on the showings and the market situation. Your agent should call you back promptly when you call them. Use the information given constructively in assisting your agent in selling the home; your cooperation is crucial. Look for a salesperson who can commit to the level and method of communication-e-mail, fax, phone, your preference.
12. What will you do to keep me informed about changes in the market that will affect my price and terms? Eric will monitor other competitive properties in the marketplace to see how well they are being received and visited, if they are in contract, had multiple or over asking offers, closed escrow, if there were price reductions, or other challenges to overcome. He will continue to watch comparable sales to see if the list price considerations have changed.
13. What is the reputation of the company ? Zephyr Real Estate has a sterling reputation in the industry and throughout San Francisco. Started in 1978 by four people in our original office at 4200 17th St (where my office is), the company has grown to over 200 agents in six locations. Eric started at the 17th St. office in 1994 and has never considered leaving.
14. Who is your broker and sales manager? How will they support your marketing efforts? The company’s broker is Bill Drypolcher one of the original owners from the company’s beginnings in 1978. Bill is accessible to everyone in the company, is active in the running of the company and does expert witness work. Rob Rogers is the sales manager of the 17th St. office. He is a full-time manager, which allows him to remain fully focused on his agents.
15. Do you have an assistant? If so, what will their responsibility be on the listing? Eric does not currently have an assistant-although he has in the past. He decided some years ago that having an assistant did not allow him the consistency and personal attention Eric felt was required for his clients.
16. Please give me references from at least three sellers you’ve recently worked with. Eric is happy to provide references to his clients; he has an extensive list of past clients who will be available to discuss Eric’s performance in their transaction.Be sure to call the references! You want to find out the satisfaction level of the sellers and the agent and would they list with this person again and why, or why not ?
17. How do I start the process of selling my home ?There are many things to consider in addition to putting an appropriate price tag on your home.This is property specific. Eric will visit you and your property on multiple occasions and walk through with you to develop the strategy best fitting your needs. You will form a team to find the best game plan to move forward in achieving your goals. With Eric you have an advocate, working with you to give you best possible service.