Production matters.

How many clients do you represent every year?

But it’s just one of the many questions buyers or sellers should ask when they are interviewing their potential representation.

Questions to ask your agent in Charlottesville

Great Questions for Sellers to ask

I’m grateful (and work really hard) to be in the 10+ segment of the above chart. I firmly believe that if an agent is not doing at least 10 transactions a year, they’re likely not going to survive.

If they’re doing less than five transactions a year, they’re likely doing themselves, their profession and their clients a disservice. (one of the reasons Nest has high standards for our agents)

The Charlottesville and national real estate markets are changing and evolving so rapidly that unless one is practicing regularly, they’re just not going to be prepared.

Think about it – would you go to the thoracic surgeon who did two surgeries a year, or the one who did dozens?

Do you want your attorney figuring things out as he goes?

Your mechanic reading “how-to” books (or worse, not) throughout the process?

Your barber trying a few things out?

Update 13 October 2009:

The WSJ has a related story today.

The housing market’s long decline has left once-thriving real-estate professionals scrambling for supplemental income or changing professions.

Realtors, agents, brokers and builders rely on sales and commissions for most of their income. And their incomes plunged as sales of existing homes fell 13.3% to 4.9 million last year from 7.1 million in 2005, the most recent peak. The National Association of Realtors says median income for Realtors and brokers fell to $36,700 last year from a high of $49,300 in 2004. The group’s membership fell to 1.14 million in September from 1.35 million in September 2006.

That only 16% of Realtors nationwide have chosen to change careers is a bit shocking.