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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Verified Reviews for Real Estate Service pros in Saint James, NC

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

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Last update on April 05, 2025

Reviewed in May 2012
It went excellent and couldn't have been better. They know what they are doing and know the market and cannot beat the price.
Marc Dosik / Fed City Team / Century 21 Redwood Real Estate
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Reviewed in October 2015
Susan did an excellent job marketing our home. We had three offers on the tenth day of showings and a signed contract on the twelfth day. The photos that she provided were very professional and looked very good both on the internet and on the printed photos that were provided in our home to...
Rhoades Team, Re/Max Suburban
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Reviewed in December 2012
Linda Bryden of Intracoastal Realty was great to work with. Linda very patiently worked with me and my wife to find the property that best fit all our criteria. Obviously buying a house can be a stressful situation but she always did everything she could to make everything as easy as it could...
INTRACOASTAL REALTY CORP
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Reviewed in June 2014
I provided Cappy with my requirements for a home in the Raleigh Durham area. I plan to move from my current home in Southeastern North Carolina and have begun a search to determine where I would like to relocate in the Triad area. Cappy has been professional in providing me with frequent...
Cappy Hagman
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Reviewed in January 2013
She helped us for about a year and a half. She is our realtor and it was all good; she did regular realtor stuff. Christina was honest and hardworking.
Christina Asbury
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Reviewed in February 2016
Jeff was very helpful and personable. He was there at the house for a long time before we arrived to make sure all the details were covered. He was professional and polite when we arrived, and gave us the full disclosure of what to expect during the inspection and afterword. Jeff was able to...
Above Par Home Inspection
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Reviewed in January 2017
It went and still is going wonderfully! I have never seen more revenue from my beach house than I do now. I completed a few minor interior recommendations Sea Scape made and let them do the rest. My rental calendar is full and I receive great reviews from my guests. I had used a different...
Sea Scape Properties LLC
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Reviewed in May 2016
Working with this company was GREAT from the beginning as they "first listened and then provided their ideas/recommendations" related to all sorts of matters while conducting their real estate and property management duties for me (i.e., when dealing pricing, incentives, selecting the right...
⋆Victory Property Management Wilmington NC Homes f
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Reviewed in June 2017
Inspector was very thorough and provided the report in one working day. The report was of great value to us in our decision on the home purchase.
SMITHVILLE HOME INSPECTION
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Reviewed in August 2008
In a fairly tough housing market, I sold our house in 7 weeks, for $3,000 above the April appraisal (I paid for). Showings are handled thru the central showing group that all realtors here use. I cannot see why anyone would pay 4-5% to have a home listed by an old school realty firm. We had...
Cindy Bright/Realtor, ABR, GRI
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Real estate agents in Saint James

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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