I have heard of stories and ran across some Utah real estate agents that were less than what I would consider a model of integrity and ethics. Most are honest and try and do their best, but many are sloppy, don’t listen to your needs, and don’t follow through. Unfortunately, as it is in most professions, it’s the 90% that give the other 10% a bad name. I jest, well sort of.
But seriously, given that real estate is one of the largest, if not the largest, financial decision you will ever make, it is worth doing a bit of homework on the front end as soon as you talk with a real estate agent.
After an initial conversation with a real estate agent in Utah, head over to the Utah Division of Real Estate (https://secure.utah.gov/rer/relv/search.html) and do a quick search on their name to ensure the following:
1. Confirm that the individual has an ACTIVE Utah Real estate license
2. Don’t have disciplinary actions against them.
3. Check the brokerage or company that the agent is affiliated with to make sure it matches up.
4. See how long they have been licensed.
This is a great first step in making sure that you are dealing with a licensed professional.
Here are some additional questions to ask your Utah real estate agent when buying or selling your home in Utah.
1. Do you do real estate full time?
When someone does real estate full time, they are more up to date on the market dynamics, technology tools, and real estate law. They will be more professional if they do it full time. The picture I am attaching to this article shows someone serving up fries and also trying to be a real estate agent.
2. Have you had any unhappy clients and what was the reason?
A real estate transaction doesn’t happen overnight. There are several steps associated with it and there is a lot of interaction with your agent. Of course, you can’t please everyone 100% of the time, but you want to watch out for communication issues or other problems.
3. What’s your fee?
Real estate fees are typically paid for by the Seller. 3% is reserved for the buyer’s agent and 3% for the listing agent.
4. How do you make the transaction go smoothly to save my time?
Time is so precious and I have little patience for people who waste my time either because they aren’t listening to me or they are not prepared. You want to hear how the agent makes the process seamless and easy for you.
5. Do you represent buyers and sellers on the same house?
Most real estate agents in Utah will from time to time represent both the buyer and the seller in what is referred to as Limited Agency in Utah. You will lose some services with this type of agreement, but the agent will still have a fiduciary obligation to you. Here is what it says about Limited Agency in the Utah Association of Realtors:
“A Limited Agent represents both seller and buyer in the same transaction and works to assist in negotiating a mutually acceptable transaction. A Limited Agent has fiduciary duties to both seller and buyer."
6. What sets you apart from other Utah real estate agents?
When you ask this question, you are looking for EXPERIENCE, not just enthusiasm, you don’t need a neighborhood kid to pull weeds. He or she should be able to answer clearly as to what distinguishes her from other professionals.
7. Will you provide me 3 references?
Call these references and ask them some of the same questions that you asked the agent. Look for the answers to match up.
