Selling a Condo in Charleston: What to Ask Before Hiring a Listing Agent

When you are getting ready to sell a condo in Charleston or the surrounding Lowcountry, it is natural to think about the asking price, the photographs, and how quickly a buyer might come along. Those things matter. But before hiring a listing agent, I would encourage you to ask another question: "What will you help me understand before we put my condo on the market?" In my experience, some of the most useful work happens before the first showing.

Selling a condo involves the home itself and the association that helps maintain the community. A freshly painted interior can make a wonderful impression, but it does not answer questions about exterior maintenance, monthly dues, insurance, or upcoming work. I want to understand both sides of that picture. Preparing a condo for sale means looking at what buyers will see and asking about things they may not see at all.

One question worth asking an agent is, "What experience do you have selling condos, and how do you keep learning?" Experience helps an agent recognize questions that might otherwise be missed. Still, I do not believe a good agent is someone who thinks they already know everything. I would rather work with someone who keeps becoming better, asks questions, and knows when to bring in a lender, inspector, insurance professional, or attorney. Each property can teach us something, if we are willing to pay attention.

Another question is, "How will you help me decide what needs attention before listing?" The answer should depend on your property and your circumstances. For one older condo, I arranged a home inspection because the owner knew very little about its condition. We then obtained a contractor's estimate of approximately $1,000 for the identified owner-responsible repairs. The seller did not have extra money to complete them before listing, so we considered that cost in our pricing strategy and planned to offer completion of those repairs once a contract was ratified. The inspection gave us information we could work with.

Other condos called for different preparation. In one, professional cleaning and decluttering helped present what was already there. In another, the seller had the interior painted, new flooring installed, and both bathrooms updated with new toilets and vanities. I also requested maintenance history from a property manager who had cared for that property for about twenty years. That helped us establish when appliances had been replaced and better understand the monthly association fees. There is no single preparation plan that fits every seller.

Repairs also deserve a conversation about responsibility. Depending on the governing documents, certain exterior, shared, or structural items may be the association's responsibility. If something needs attention, I prefer to help the owner request it early. We usually cannot control when association maintenance will happen, but we can document requests and responses and photograph completed work. We should also discuss wood-infestation inspection concerns, including a CL-100 where applicable, along with safety, cost, and the requirements of the particular transaction. Cosmetic improvements and safety concerns deserve different consideration.

A third question is, "What association information will you help me gather?" I want to obtain the applicable covenants, conditions and restrictions, bylaws, and information about transfer or buy-in fees. I also want to ask about dues changes, assessments, planned repairs, insurance concerns, and litigation that may affect the sale. An owner may know the monthly payment without knowing everything behind it. A substantial increase in dues is a reason to ask for an explanation, rather than assume we understand it.

These questions also support accurate disclosures. South Carolina's owners-association disclosure addendum asks about matters such as association charges, special assessments, known common-area problems, restrictions, and transfer fees, based on the owner's actual knowledge. Gathering information early helps the seller respond thoughtfully and identify questions that need professional guidance. I do not want a seller guessing at an answer simply because we waited until the paperwork was due. llr.sc.gov

Association information can also matter to financing. Buyers need more than personal loan approval; the condo project may need to satisfy requirements for their particular loan. Insurance, repair needs, and association finances can enter that review. Fannie Mae announced condo review and reserve changes in 2026, with different effective dates. That is one reason I believe an agent should stay in contact with knowledgeable lenders and confirm current requirements rather than rely only on how a previous condo sale worked. singlefamily.fanniemae.com

Then there is a question that brings us back inside the home: "How will you help buyers remember my condo?" After looking at four, five, or six homes in a day, buyers may remember "the condo with the butcher block counters" or "the one with the wainscoting." Fresh paint and attractive flooring can give them another clear reference point. Floor level, amenities, location, condition, and price all matter, but a distinctive feature can help a buyer recall the property. That does not mean every seller needs an expensive renovation. Sometimes we need to present an existing feature more thoughtfully.

I will often play devil's advocate with my sellers. What might a buyer question? What could an inspection uncover? What information do we still need? I cannot prevent every problem or promise that preparation will produce a particular result. I can help us investigate what we reasonably can, discuss the possible obstacles, and make informed decisions. If you are choosing a listing agent to sell your condo in Charleston, Mount Pleasant, or elsewhere in the Lowcountry, ask how that agent will prepare. The answer should tell you something about how they will care for your sale.

Bonnie Wicks Bertalot is an Associate Broker with Carolina One Real Estate and the Shoreline Key Team, serving buyers and sellers throughout Charleston and the surrounding Lowcountry. Learn more at bonniewicks.com or call 843-754-0754.