May 17, 2025 • 10 mins
Real talk: most people pick a real estate agent the way they pick a brunch spot—based on a vibe, not a strategy.
But this isn’t brunch. It’s your future.
In this episode, Certified Mortgage Advisor Kevin Martini shares 7 squirm-worthy questions your agent really doesn’t want you to ask. (Ask them anyway.)
This isn’t just about buying a house—it’s about buying smart.
Here’s what you’ll walk away with:
→ The #1 mistake people make before hiring an agent
→ How to know if your agent is part-time in a full-time market
→ What to ask so you don’t get stuck with a “tour guide” instead of a protector
→ The chess-move strategy that makes your offer stand out
Warning: once you hear this episode, you will send it to a friend. (Especially the one who just hired their cousin because “she just got her license.”)
🛑 Stop guessing.
🎯 Start winning.
🎧 Press play.
Kevin Martini | NMLS 143962 | Certified Mortgage Advisor | Martini Mortgage Group at Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group, Corporation | NMLS # 3446 | 507 N Blount St, Raleigh, NC 27604 | (919) 238-4934 | www.MartiniMortgageGroup.com | Kevin@MartiniMortgageGroup.com | Equal Housing Lender
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
You know what most real estate agents don't want you to do?
(00:05):
Treat hiring them like a job interview
But guess what?
That's exactly what it is because you're not just buying a home
You're investing in your future and the person guiding you through it. They better be top tier
But here's a twist that no one tells you the agent isn't step one
(00:29):
The home loan is because until you've got a real mortgage strategy
Not some napkin pre-qual you're shopping blind
A mortgage strategy gives you budget clarity
negotiating power and most important
Components and once you got that then you find the agent then you find your house
(00:55):
Then you make an offer that gets accepted so yes step one is getting financially battle ready
step two
Finding the right agent that can help you win and let me tell you
Not all agents are created equally
the right ones
(01:17):
They protect your future the wrong ones
They just unlock the doors and hope for the best
Now before we flip the script and I share the
Seven Kevin Martini questions your agent really doesn't want you to ask
I need to make those legal folks happy so
(01:39):
I am Kevin Martini a certified mortgage advisor and producing branch manager
NMS 143962 with the Martini mortgage group at Goldstar Mortgage Financial Group Corporation
NMLs 3446 equal housing lender
This is episode 218 of the Martini mortgage podcast called
(02:04):
Seven questions your agent doesn't want you to ask this podcast is here to inform
Educate and entertain not to provide legal or professional advice
Okay, with that on the tape. Let's start with the basics
Would you hire a part-time surgeon?
(02:25):
Would you fly in a plane with a part-time pilot exactly a full-time agent lives and breeze in the business
They know the market then neighborhood the off-market listings and the strategies that win transactions
a part-time agent
(02:45):
They might have a heart of gold
But if they can't pick up your call during business hours or miss the house you love because they were working their other job
That's a deal breaker
Ask them directly are you full-time or part-time?
Because buying a home isn't part-time work and your agent shouldn't be either
(03:11):
Now assume they pass the test
Experience matters but recent experience matters more
You want someone who's actively writing offers negotiating contracts and closing deals into day's market
Not just someone who got their license five years ago and dabbles every other quarter so asked
(03:37):
How many buyers have you worked with in the last 90 days?
It's not about vanity
It's about relevance
The market is constantly changing your agent should be current connected and constantly learning if they've been
busy helping people like you
That's a great sign and if they haven't
(03:59):
That tells you everything you need to know
Now let's take it a step further
This is where most agents start to sweat
Because if they can't articulate what makes them different
How are you supposed to trust them with what is likely the biggest purchase of your life?
(04:22):
Chignaric answers like I care about clients or I'm passionate about real estate. Just don't cut it
You want specifics like I specialize in negotiating appraisal gaps. I have off-market property network
I've held 20 first-time home buyers winning a competitive market just this year ask
(04:46):
What's your edge if they don't have one?
Well
You shouldn't do anything, but if they do they'll light up with confidence and that brings us to the question that really makes things uncomfortable
Post August 2024
Every buyer has to sign a buyer agency agreement, which means you're hiring them
(05:12):
So like any professional you hire it's fair
Essential to ask what are your fees and what exactly am I getting to return?
Top agents won't flinch. They'll tell you what they charge how it works and how it can be structured based on your situation
(05:35):
Just like I do when I structure a loan that serves your strategy
Not just filling out a form
transparency builds trust and trust builds winning offers
Speaking of winning. Let's talk about risk and
whether they're protecting you or
(05:57):
just pushing forward
A home isn't just a pretty kitchen or a wow bathroom
It's plumbing. It's permits. It's the stuff under the paint and the great agent isn't just a tour guide
There your shield ask them
(06:18):
If you've noticed something wrong, would you tell me?
Even if I love the house
Because love makes us blind you need someone who isn't
They should be pointing out the slopes in the floor
This is species water stain or the roof that looks 12 years older than it claims to be a
(06:40):
real agent protects your future not just their commission
Now let's talk strategy because in this market
Information isn't enough. You need a plan
Here's where the winners separate themself
Because you don't just need someone to submit an offer
(07:01):
You need someone who builds one with purpose so ask
What's your strategy when I'm against three or five or ten other buyers?
They should have tactics like escalation costs strategic due diligence periods
(07:21):
Seller incentives timing plays communication that positions you as the offer to choose
Because this isn't just buying a house
It's a chess match and your agent needs to be thinking three moves ahead
And once you've asked these six
(07:43):
Here's the final move
You've made it this far
now
You know what to ask
You know what to look for you know what separates helpers from high performers
But if you want to skip the trial and error, I've got you because here's the truth
(08:05):
Top tier professionals don't operate in silos
The best agents work with the best mortgage strategist and vice versa
So if you want a personal introduction to an agent who's been vetted
Who communicates clearly
Negotiates powerfully and knows how to win
(08:27):
I'll make that connection
Because this isn't just about getting alone. It's about getting the right loan from the right team with the right agent
That's how you win
That's how you buy smart and that's how you stop renting sooner than you think
(08:47):
If you're curious on what your plan might look like give me a call
My name is Kevin Martini and you can reach me by dialing 919
2384934
We'll have a judgment-free
pressure-free chat
And you'll walk away with a clear
Customized path to home ownership whether it's now or next year
(09:11):
Let's build your strategy
Let's get you home
Let's bring this to an end
Buying a house isn't just a checklist
It's a strategy
A timeline
A commitment to your future
And the first move isn't scrolling zillow or calling random agents
(09:33):
It's getting financially ready with clear mortgage strategy tailored for you
That's where I come in
At the Martini mortgage group we don't do cookie cutter approvals
We design same as cash approval packages
So you can walk into any showing knowing exactly what you can forward and how to win
(09:54):
Because the smartest offer starts with clarity
And the smartest buyers start with strategy
If you want to buy smart save time and align with professionals who treat the biggest move of your life
Because it is
(10:15):
Then let's talk
I'll help you build a plan
I'll help you find the right agent
And I'll guide you every step of the way
This is not a sales pitch
It's an invitation to stop guessing and start moving
So wherever you are ready to stop
(10:38):
Hoping and start owning
I'm here
Let's make it happen this year
Come here.
You know what most real estate agents don't want you to do?
(00:05):
Treat hiring them like a job interview
But guess what?
That's exactly what it is because you're not just buying a home
You're investing in your future and the person guiding you through it. They better be top tier
But here's a twist that no one tells you the agent isn't step one
(00:29):
The home loan is because until you've got a real mortgage strategy
Not some napkin pre-qual you're shopping blind
A mortgage strategy gives you budget clarity
negotiating power and most important
Components and once you got that then you find the agent then you find your house
(00:55):
Then you make an offer that gets accepted so yes step one is getting financially battle ready
step two
Finding the right agent that can help you win and let me tell you
Not all agents are created equally
the right ones
(01:17):
They protect your future the wrong ones
They just unlock the doors and hope for the best
Now before we flip the script and I share the
Seven Kevin Martini questions your agent really doesn't want you to ask
I need to make those legal folks happy so
(01:39):
I am Kevin Martini a certified mortgage advisor and producing branch manager
NMS 143962 with the Martini mortgage group at Goldstar Mortgage Financial Group Corporation
NMLs 3446 equal housing lender
This is episode 218 of the Martini mortgage podcast called
(02:04):
Seven questions your agent doesn't want you to ask this podcast is here to inform
Educate and entertain not to provide legal or professional advice
Okay, with that on the tape. Let's start with the basics
Would you hire a part-time surgeon?
(02:25):
Would you fly in a plane with a part-time pilot exactly a full-time agent lives and breeze in the business
They know the market then neighborhood the off-market listings and the strategies that win transactions
a part-time agent
(02:45):
They might have a heart of gold
But if they can't pick up your call during business hours or miss the house you love because they were working their other job
That's a deal breaker
Ask them directly are you full-time or part-time?
Because buying a home isn't part-time work and your agent shouldn't be either
(03:11):
Now assume they pass the test
Experience matters but recent experience matters more
You want someone who's actively writing offers negotiating contracts and closing deals into day's market
Not just someone who got their license five years ago and dabbles every other quarter so asked
(03:37):
How many buyers have you worked with in the last 90 days?
It's not about vanity
It's about relevance
The market is constantly changing your agent should be current connected and constantly learning if they've been
busy helping people like you
That's a great sign and if they haven't
(03:59):
That tells you everything you need to know
Now let's take it a step further
This is where most agents start to sweat
Because if they can't articulate what makes them different
How are you supposed to trust them with what is likely the biggest purchase of your life?
(04:22):
Chignaric answers like I care about clients or I'm passionate about real estate. Just don't cut it
You want specifics like I specialize in negotiating appraisal gaps. I have off-market property network
I've held 20 first-time home buyers winning a competitive market just this year ask
(04:46):
What's your edge if they don't have one?
Well
You shouldn't do anything, but if they do they'll light up with confidence and that brings us to the question that really makes things uncomfortable
Post August 2024
Every buyer has to sign a buyer agency agreement, which means you're hiring them
(05:12):
So like any professional you hire it's fair
Essential to ask what are your fees and what exactly am I getting to return?
Top agents won't flinch. They'll tell you what they charge how it works and how it can be structured based on your situation
(05:35):
Just like I do when I structure a loan that serves your strategy
Not just filling out a form
transparency builds trust and trust builds winning offers
Speaking of winning. Let's talk about risk and
whether they're protecting you or
(05:57):
just pushing forward
A home isn't just a pretty kitchen or a wow bathroom
It's plumbing. It's permits. It's the stuff under the paint and the great agent isn't just a tour guide
There your shield ask them
(06:18):
If you've noticed something wrong, would you tell me?
Even if I love the house
Because love makes us blind you need someone who isn't
They should be pointing out the slopes in the floor
This is species water stain or the roof that looks 12 years older than it claims to be a
(06:40):
real agent protects your future not just their commission
Now let's talk strategy because in this market
Information isn't enough. You need a plan
Here's where the winners separate themself
Because you don't just need someone to submit an offer
(07:01):
You need someone who builds one with purpose so ask
What's your strategy when I'm against three or five or ten other buyers?
They should have tactics like escalation costs strategic due diligence periods
(07:21):
Seller incentives timing plays communication that positions you as the offer to choose
Because this isn't just buying a house
It's a chess match and your agent needs to be thinking three moves ahead
And once you've asked these six
(07:43):
Here's the final move
You've made it this far
now
You know what to ask
You know what to look for you know what separates helpers from high performers
But if you want to skip the trial and error, I've got you because here's the truth
(08:05):
Top tier professionals don't operate in silos
The best agents work with the best mortgage strategist and vice versa
So if you want a personal introduction to an agent who's been vetted
Who communicates clearly
Negotiates powerfully and knows how to win
(08:27):
I'll make that connection
Because this isn't just about getting alone. It's about getting the right loan from the right team with the right agent
That's how you win
That's how you buy smart and that's how you stop renting sooner than you think
(08:47):
If you're curious on what your plan might look like give me a call
My name is Kevin Martini and you can reach me by dialing 919
2384934
We'll have a judgment-free
pressure-free chat
And you'll walk away with a clear
Customized path to home ownership whether it's now or next year
(09:11):
Let's build your strategy
Let's get you home
Let's bring this to an end
Buying a house isn't just a checklist
It's a strategy
A timeline
A commitment to your future
And the first move isn't scrolling zillow or calling random agents
(09:33):
It's getting financially ready with clear mortgage strategy tailored for you
That's where I come in
At the Martini mortgage group we don't do cookie cutter approvals
We design same as cash approval packages
So you can walk into any showing knowing exactly what you can forward and how to win
(09:54):
Because the smartest offer starts with clarity
And the smartest buyers start with strategy
If you want to buy smart save time and align with professionals who treat the biggest move of your life
Because it is
(10:15):
Then let's talk
I'll help you build a plan
I'll help you find the right agent
And I'll guide you every step of the way
This is not a sales pitch
It's an invitation to stop guessing and start moving
So wherever you are ready to stop
(10:38):
Hoping and start owning
I'm here
Let's make it happen this year
Come here.
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