What Happens on an Initial Real Estate Consultation?

Wondering what happens during an initial real estate consultation? Whether you’re buying or selling your home, you’ll sit down with your realtor for a consultation before they start helping you. If you’ve never bought or sold a home before, you might want to know what to expect so you can be as prepared as possible.

In this post, our experts at Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty - Phil Aitken Home Team will answer several questions related to buyer and seller real estate consultations.

What is a Buyer or Seller Consultation?

A consultation, whether for a home buyer or seller, is a meeting between you and your realtor to discuss strategies and your goals for your purchase or sale. It occurs before you decide to officially sign a buyer or listing agreement with the realtor.

It serves as an opportunity for you and the realtor to get to know each other better. You’ll also be able to ask questions and figure out if the realtor is a good fit for your needs.

Why are Buyer or Seller Consultations Important?

Buyer and seller consultations are important because it’s an opportunity for you and your realtor to hash out the details for the sale and purchase– your goals, needs, and requirements. In both buyer and seller consultations, the real estate agent acts as a trusted advisor, providing valuable insights and expertise to help clients make informed decisions.

For home sellers, you’ll discuss your goals for the sale, desired sale timeline, and listing price. The realtor will also ask for more information about your property, including its age, size, condition, features, and whether you’ve added any upgrades recently.

For home buyers, you’ll go over your goals for the purchase, budget, top locations, and what you’re looking for in your dream home.

What Happens on an Initial Real Estate Consultation?

During an initial real estate consultation for a home sale, the realtor will assess your specific needs and preferences and gather information about your home. If you’re a first-time home seller, they’ll provide a comprehensive overview of the selling process. 

They’ll also discuss marketing strategies, pricing strategies, market trends, an estimated timeline for the sale, and share recommendations for stagers, photographers, contractors, and other real estate professionals.

A buyer’s consultation is similar. After the realtor has assessed your needs and preferences for your dream home, they’ll discuss the buying process and answer any questions or concerns you have. They’ll also provide information about the local market, home prices, and how they believe market conditions could affect your purchase. 

The agent may also explain financing options, recommend mortgage lenders, and help you create a customized search plan to find properties that match your criteria.

What Information Should I Bring to the Initial Real Estate Consultation?

Before your consultation, it can help to gather relevant information to make sure the process runs smoothly. That way, your realtor can offer tailored advice and develop a strategy that aligns with your objectives. Information you should bring to your consultation includes:

• Personal Information like your name and contact information.
• A list of your goals for the sale or purchase, including timeline, budget, criteria and preferences for homes if you’re buying, and information about your property if you’re selling.
• Relevant financial information such as pre-approval or mortgage-related documents.
• Your market research. If you’ve done any research on your own, bring documents to discuss with your agent.
• A list of questions or concerns about the home buying or selling processes.

How Long Does an Initial Real Estate Consultation Typically Last?

An initial consultation can range anywhere from one to two hours. Most consultations take one and a half to two hours.

What Topics or Questions Should I Expect to Discuss During the Consultation?

During the consultation, you can expect to discuss topics related to:

• Current market conditions
• What to expect during the home buying or selling process
• The agent’s experience and track record
• Expectations for the realtor’s communication throughout the process
• Your budget for buying a home or your ideal listing price for selling
• Your timeline and other goals for the sale or purchase
• Details about your property if you’re selling or criteria for your dream home if you’re buying
• Pricing and marketing strategies
• Contract terms for the buyer or listing agreement
• The realtor’s commission fee

Are There Any Costs or Fees Associated With the Initial Real Estate Consultation?

Initial consultations are typically free of charge since you haven’t signed a buyer or listing agreement yet. 

During an initial consultation, you and the realtor are still getting to know each other. Once you sign an official agreement, subsequent consultations and other services will come at a price. The realtor will discuss these costs during the initial consultation.

However, different realtors or brokerages may have their own rules and may choose to charge for the initial consultation. For this reason, be sure to ask before scheduling the meeting.

Schedule a Consultation With Our Team in Jacksonville, Florida

If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in Jacksonville, Florida, reach out to schedule an initial consultation with Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty - Phil Aitken Home Team. We’ve been working in the area for years and have hundreds of five-star reviews from satisfied buyer and seller clients.

Our clients value working with us because of our high-quality customer service, in-depth knowledge of the housing market, and unique guarantees. 

This includes our Guaranteed Sale Program for sellers, which ensures your home will sell by your desired time frame– no matter what. If it doesn’t sell to a buyer, our team will buy it ourselves for an agreed-upon price. 

For home buyers, we offer our Buy it Back Guarantee, which offers you a risk-free insurance policy when purchasing a new home. This program lets you return your home to us if you find it doesn’t meet your expectations. We will then sell it at no additional cost.

To learn more about our guarantees or work with our real estate team, call (904) 544-5252. You can also fill out the form on this page.