Want to buy a home in the Seattle area? You probably already know the market is active to say the least. Single family homes in Seattle have spent a median of only six days on the market every month since February. On the Eastside, the median drops to five days. 

With homes selling so quickly, buyers need to act fast. You need to be comfortable making big decisions in a hurry. A great agent will help you get there. These five questions are designed to help you be sure your agent is prepared to take you from “just looking” to living in a home you love. 

“How many deals have you closed in the past six months?”
The number of homes an agent has helped people buy recently is a huge factor in gauging how well they can navigate the current local market. Have they faced 2021 levels of competition, with the gap between sale price and list price at multi-year highs? How practiced are they at negotiating in bidding wars? Transaction volume data is tracked at the state level and agents can let you know where they rank. 

“When are you available to show me homes?”
Knowing you’ll need to act fast, find out up front what your agent’s schedule is like. Be sure you’ll be able to access homes well ahead of offer review times. At Flyhomes, we have a dedicated team of agents who meet homebuyers for tours from morning through evening. Our app makes it simple to request same-day tours. Without that kind of flexibility, buyers sometimes have trouble getting to even see a home before it’s sold to someone else.

“How do you get paid?”
Many real estate agents make money through a commission paid by the home’s seller. Typically, they earn 3% of the home’s purchase price. If you buy a more expensive home, they make more money. You won’t be the one paying them, so ask what value you can expect to get from them and how they keep their financial incentives aligned with yours. At Flyhomes, our agents are paid a salary regardless of the specific homes their clients buy.

“What are sellers looking for?”
In June, homes for sale on the Eastside received an average of 10 offers each, with 97% of homes for sale receiving at least two offers. In a seller’s market like this, buyers need to go beyond price to stand out. In fact, certainty that a deal will go through quickly can be even more important to sellers than price. In 2020, 52% of Flyhomes buyers who competed in buying wars won against higher bids because they offered that certainty. Your agent should have a deep understanding of what sellers look for so they can help you choose the right strategy for your situation. 

“What am I missing?”
One of the trickiest things about buying a home is just how opaque the process can seem. There are a lot of steps, and most of us only go through them a few times in our lives. Your agent can help you think about things you don’t know to think about. They might point out neighborhoods you’re not considering or ask the tough questions to help you whittle your wishlist. At Flyhomes, a first step is getting underwritten pre-approval—it’s vital to be able to make a home offer on short notice, but it’s not common practice for most buyers. Find out what your agent can shine a spotlight on to help you be confident in your journey.