Remember, hiring a Realtor is like a business owner hiring an employee.

He would interview more than one and compare their strengths and

weaknesses. The listing agent's #1 job is to market your home to the public

and to the other 3000+ agents.

The #1 advertising for homes today is the Internet.

Questions for the interview:

1. Are you a member of the local MLS?

Most Realtors can answer yes. This is the "multiple listing service"

that all Realtors will have access to.

2. Are you a member of Realtor.com?

You need to verify this on Realtor.com by searching agents in the

Birmingham area. The #1 Internet site nationwide is Realtor.com.

Of the 3000+ agents in the Birmingham area, only about

70 agents are members. Most agents think they are members

because their listings show appear Realtor.com. If an agent is a

member of Realtor.com there will be multiple photos of the home.

If an agent is not a member, there will only be one photo of the home

& their name doesn't appear with th listing, there is no way for a

prospect to contact them directly, and there is no link to their own

web site.

Click here to check if a Realtor is a member. Scroll down

to bottom of page to "Narrow my results by keyword,"

type Realtor's name, and click "Find REALTOR."

3. Do you have your own web site?

Less than half of the agents have their own web site for local buyers

to view photos and information of your home. Some agents only

use flyers, which does not show all areas of the home. Some agents

have a recording for the phone or radio, No amount of words can

describe what a picture can show.

4. This is a big one. Do you provide "virtual tours" ?

Only about 3 % of the agents do virtual tours.

5. Is yours a true virtual tour or just a photo tour? More than half of

this 3% are just more photos.

6. How many photos of my home will be on the MLS?

Nine photos are allowed on the MLS. Some agents only put a photo

of the front of your home on the MLS. When most buyers cannot see

interior photos, they usually skip that home and go to the next.

7. Will you have all the photos and virtual tour on the MLS the day

you list it?

This is extremely important because buyers' agents will have automatic

emails set up to send your home to prospected buyers. If there aren't

any photos you just lost an opportunity that may not come back.

8. How often will you call me with feedback from showings on

my home?

You deserve to be called at least once a week to let you know what the

buyers comments were.

9. Do you put your listings in the newspaper and magazines?

10. Can you show me your "average days on the market" for the

past 12 months?

If they do not show this to you at the interview there may be a reason.