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

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

Do I need a real estate agent as a buyer?

<div><p>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.</p></div>

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Q: Do I need a real estate agent as a buyer?

<div><p>You don&rsquo;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&mdash;like a mortgage broker and real estate attorney&mdash;you&rsquo;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&rsquo;s commission comes from the seller&rsquo;s proceeds from the sale of the home.</p></div>

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Verified Reviews for Real Estate Service pros in Benson, VT

*The Angi rating for Real Estate Service companies in Benson, VT 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 Benson, VT 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 02, 2025

Reviewed in July 2013
We are looking for a new home in the Mesa, AZ area. Since we didn' t have real estate contacts there, I came to Angie's List to look for reviews of Realtors; I selected Laurie Rummel . To date, she has been very helpful and responsive to our requests for information. I feel that as a result of...
Laurie Rummel, Associate Broker
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Reviewed in September 2016
Fantastic! We purchased the home very quickly as it was being taken for back taxes, and sold the home almost as quickly as my job moved to Vermont.
Alan Daniel - RE/MAX Legends
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Reviewed in June 2015
Though Gail and Dale were the listing agents for the home I was interested in purchasing, they were extremely helpful and responsive to me as the buyer. Gail answered questions by email promptly, sat through a very long home inspection, and even drove me home when my car was in the shop...what...
Dale and Gail Bromley
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Reviewed in November 2012
Traci has helped us purchase, rent and sell houses. She was always responsive and professional. We will use her again for our real-estate needs in northern Virginia.
Traci Oliver - The Traci Oliver Team of Long & Foster Real Estate
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Reviewed in November 2012
Our house has not yet sold, but has been shown a number of times since listing with Stone Crest. This is in direct contrast to our experience with the first listing agent who was not aggressive at all. We have a high degree of confidence in Kelly Deth's marketing skills and knowledge of the...
StoneCrest Properties LLC
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Reviewed in January 2017
Claudia was outstanding to work with. We would strongly recommend her to others looking at real estate in the area. Specially, Claudia has deep local market knowledge and willingness/ability to procure and share additional information and insights. She has high interpersonal "eq" to work with...
Mary Mitchell Miller Real Estate
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Reviewed in September 2013
Bought my first home from the Lyndonville office of LMS and it couldn't have been easier or more enjoyable. Super easy to talk to, no mysteries, very forthright and helpful in explaining the process. I was excited from start to finish.
Lang McLaughry Spera
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Reviewed in November 2007
After living 60 years in our family home we decided to sell and retire to Vermont. We didn't have a clue about the process and the information we received from friends and relatives contained horror stories. We were confused and anxious. We met Judy after interviewing several agents and knew...
Judy Markowitz & the Energized Realty Group
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Reviewed in February 2014
She went out of her way to make sure we saw a wide selection of inventory and educated us in all aspects of living in Vermont. Her services did not end with our closing; she and her family were always available to help us with anything we needed. Our move from the West coast would not have taken...
Rowe Real Estate
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Real estate agents in Benson

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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