What questions should I ask a real estate agent before hiring them?

<div>Interviewing real estate agents is the best way to find the right person for the job. Consider asking the following questions to find the best agent for you:<ul><li>How will you show my property?</li><li>Will you do open houses to market my home?</li><li>How will you handle dual agency (representing the buyer and you as the seller)?</li><li>Should I make repairs to my home before listing?</li><li>Will you get professional photos taken of my home?</li><li>What is the best price you think we can get for my property?</li><li>How long do you expect the sale to take?</li></ul></div>

Do I need a real estate agent as a buyer?

<div>You don’t legally need a real estate agent as a buyer, as you can represent yourself, but you should always hire an agent as a home buyer. A professional real estate agent will have access to local MLS services to find homes that meet your criteria and needs, can connect you with other professionals—like a mortgage broker and real estate attorney—you’ll need for the purchase, and can often negotiate a better price for your home to help save you money. Plus, as the buyer, your agent’s commission comes from the seller’s proceeds from the sale of the home.</div>

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*The Angi rating for Real Estate Service companies in River Ridge, LA is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Real Estate Service needs.

*The HomeAdvisor rating for Real Estate Service companies in River Ridge, LA is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Real Estate Service needs.

Last update on April 06, 2025

Reviewed in April 2016
First of all, before reading this recommendation of Kara Breithaupt; I had never met her prior to the purchase of this condo. It was strictly by chance that I clicked her email address among other real estate agents available to inquire about the selected property on line. That arbitrary click...
Kara Breithaupt Realtor Broker/Owner
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Reviewed in August 2014
As a first time homebuyer, I couldn’t have asked for a more knowledgeable, experienced, or patient Realtor to guide me through the home buying process. Kara was committed to finding a home that met my needs and expectations. Not only was she always optimistic and upbeat, she was prompt in...
Kara Breithaupt Realtor Broker/Owner
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Reviewed in May 2015
Kara B and her team are personal, professional, and passionate about what they do. They are THE BEST realtor team in the Greater New Orleans area, and here is why: We have a relatively small budget for a house we would like to call home and we weren't exactly sure of which part of New...
Kara Breithaupt Realtor Broker/Owner
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Reviewed in February 2014
It's safe to say that buying a home is pretty daunting. Kara made the process simple. She knew the nuances of New Orleans' idiosyncratic market, which neighborhoods were on the up and which might not be--no one knows the future but she's pretty plugged into the market. She was there when I...
Kara Breithaupt Realtor Broker/Owner
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Reviewed in January 2014
It's safe to say that buying a home is pretty daunting. Kara made the process simple. She knew the nuances of New Orleans' idiosyncratic market, which neighborhoods were on the up and which might not be--no one knows the future but she's pretty plugged into the market. She was there when I...
Kara Breithaupt Realtor Broker/Owner
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Reviewed in April 2015
This two year search was stressful and discouraging, but throughout one disappointment after another, Kara remained upbeat, and always positive. I expected a great deal of the time for Kara to suggest that I find another agent. She did not. She never made me feel like I was imposing. Her...
Kara Breithaupt Realtor Broker/Owner
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Reviewed in June 2014
Kara is great! She really listened to everything I wanted and was always available to answer questions for me. She bent over backwards to find solutions to problems and worked great with the seller to make sure everything in our transaction went smoothly and was handled. Our closing went...
Kara Breithaupt Realtor Broker/Owner
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Reviewed in May 2010
Katie is AMAZING (all caps). She educated us and walked us through every step of buying a home (which we closed on in December). She made sure we had all of the inspections we needed and introduced us to great people to help us renovate the home under an FHA 203(k). The only complaint I would...
Katie Witry, Gardner Realtors
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Reviewed in May 2012
Pat was very involved and proactive throughout the entire home purchase process, from constantly sending us properties to view online, to showing us countless homes, to being present at every inspection (even ones when we weren't able to be there), to the closing. She had a clear understanding...
Pat Arnold
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Reviewed in February 2011
She is taking care of everything for me. She has been excellent. Whenever I would tell her about a house I was interested in, she would drive to the neighborhood and she would let me know if the place was good for children or if there many houses still abandoned because of the storm. Anytime I...
Jean Hunn
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Real estate agents in River Ridge

Real estate services FAQs

Real estate agents work on commission, so the cost of hiring an agent will depend on the cost of the home you’re buying or selling. The listing contract should include information about the commission for both agents, which is usually 6 percent of the sale price in total or 3 percent per side. With an average national home value of around $440,000, the typical commission per agent is $13,200. However, you won’t pay this total out of pocket. Instead, the commission comes out of the sale price of the property.

Interviewing real estate agents is the best way to find the right person for the job. Consider asking the following questions to find the best agent for you:

How will you show my property?
Will you do open houses to market my home?
How will you handle dual agency (representing the buyer and you as the seller)?
Should I make repairs to my home before listing?
Will you get professional photos taken of my home?
What is the best price you think we can get for my property?
How long do you expect the sale to take?

Yes, hiring a real estate agent is worth it. Many homeowners make the mistake of trying to sell their homes by themselves, thinking that they’ll save money on the commission, but what they save on the commission, they very often pay for in frustration and concessions on the sale price. Hiring a real estate agent to handle the sale of your home not only makes the process far easier and takes the burden off of you, but most homeowners get more for their homes when going through an agent because of the marketing and salesmanship they bring to the table.

You don’t legally need a real estate agent as a buyer, as you can represent yourself, but you should always hire an agent as a home buyer. A professional real estate agent will have access to local MLS services to find homes that meet your criteria and needs, can connect you with other professionals—like a mortgage broker and real estate attorney—you’ll need for the purchase, and can often negotiate a better price for your home to help save you money. Plus, as the buyer, your agent’s commission comes from the seller’s proceeds from the sale of the home.

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