Are you thinking of selling a home in Ridgewood NJ because you are relocating, downsizing or transferring jobs?
Whatever the reason for your move, one of the first things you will need to do is select a Ridgewood Real Estate Agent to market your home.  There are hundreds of agents here in Ridgewood, so how do you choose?  Below are a few basic guidelines.
Don’t take the real estate agent’s word for it when she says she is great. She may very well be great, but ask for references anyway.

Ask to see the agent’s web site.

Does he have one?  If so, does it focus on Ridgewood or does it say something like “I specialize in Bergen County real estate”.  Bergen County is a big place.  I’m not sure you can really specialize in a 247 square mile area with nearly a million residents and 70 different municipalities.

Ask a simple question like, “How do you get to Somerville School from here?”

Or try asking, Did you attend the Ridgewood Run this year?  If  you see a face like this one staring back at you when  you ask about local events then the agent you are meeting with may not be best equipped to sell folks on the merits of living in Ridgewood.

Tell me about your online marketing plan.

According to a 2007 survey of home buyers and sellers by the National Association of Realtors, 84% of buyers reported using the internet in their home search.  Given this fact, it is important to ask your prospective agent what her online marketing strategy is for your home.  Since many buyers will search Google for terms like Ridgewood NJ Real Estate when looking for a new home, why not try this Google search yourself?  See which agents show up first and call these agents in for an interview. Or Google your realtor’s name (i.e. Mary Smith Ridgewood) and see what you can find out about her/him.

How many Ridgewood Homes did you sell last year?

Ask the agent how many homes they personally marketed and sold in Ridgewood last year.  Don’t settle for the number of Ridgewood homes sold by their company because the experience of the individual agent matters much more than the size of his office.

Do you live and work in Ridgewood?

Many folks find that agents that live and work in the same town as the home they are marketing have a better grip on what that town has to offer to potential buyers.

These are just a few questions you may want to ask.  There are many others that are even more helpful but I can’t post them all here for my competitors to read.  Please call me at the number below if you would like more info on how to interview prospective agents or if you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss the marketing of your Ridgewood Home.