4. Look at an agent’s stats like an athlete’s box score
Numbers don’t lie. Athletes, for example, are measured by what’s called a “box score,” which aggregates performance indicators like their field goal or free-throw percentages.
What you may not realize is that real estate agents have “stats,” too — such as percent of listings sold, average days on market, and number of five-star reviews. Yet, these key performance indicators are often overlooked by their clients.
Here are some of the stats that would make up your agent’s “box score,” so to speak:
Years of experience
Ideally, work with a listing agent who has at least five years of full-time experience selling homes. That way, they know the ins and outs of the process, including forms to file, deadlines to meet, and contacts in the area. However, there are exceptions to this if you like what you see from a smart and driven agent who’s newer to the business.
Average days on market
Compare an agent’s average days on market (DOM) with the average DOM of your market. If an agent sells homes faster than the area average, they know how to price and market homes and keep them from going stale on the market.
Transactions per year
If an agent sells fewer than four homes in a year, they’re likely a hobbyist or part-timer who helps friends and family on the side. A dozen or two sales per year is probably indicative that an agent is more established and has consistent clients.
Agents with 50 to 100 plus sales most likely have help in the form of transaction coordinators or a team working below them. In this case, it’s helpful to find out how involved the listing agent is with each of their individual clients, or if you’d primarily be working with someone else on their team.
