7 Tips for Finding a Great Real Estate Agent
Today’s economy doesn’t make it easy to buy or sell your home these days. Sure it’s a buyer’s market, but sadly, banks aren’t as quick to lend money… at least not like they used to. And, most homes on the market are “short sales,” so buyers may have to wait several months before hearing an answer from the bank…and that answer is probably “no.” Imagine discovering the ideal house, making an offer, putting your heart into buying the house only to find out several months later that the bank will not accept your offer. Unfortunately, this is the reality when it comes to short sales. On the other hand, selling a house today is not a picnic either. The fact is that the supply is definitely significantly higher than the demand, which will keep prices low for a long time. Selling your home goes far beyond simply putting up a “for sale” sign on your front yard or listing your home in the classifieds. So whether you’re buying or selling a home, having a real estate agent helping you is important when you’re looking for a quick and good deal.
However, with so many real estate agents, how do you choose the right person? Listed below are 7 points to consider when deciding on a real estate agent.
1. Conduct an interview
The easiest way to meet an agent is by speaking with them in person. You can talk about what they think of a particular property, discuss their qualifications, ask about their past transactions, any difficulties they’ve had with previous deals, and find out if his personality is a good fit with yours. Remember, whether you’re buying or selling a home, you’ll most likely be spending a reasonable amount of time with your real estate agent, so it’s best if you hit it off. You could also explain to the real estate agent what type of communication he or she expects and whether he or she will be able to live up to that expectation.
2. Qualifications
Be sure to check the real estate agent’s qualifications. Does the person have sufficient experience and knowledge, especially in your local area? They might have an impressive track record elsewhere, but if they have limited knowledge in your region, they won’t help you.
3. References
Ask your family and friends if they can recommend someone to you. Ask them for information about their experience with your Realtor. Remember, no one knows you better than your friends and family and there is no one you can trust more with your recommendation.
4. Customer Service
A real estate agent should be easy to contact and communicate with… especially with the technology we have today. Also, real estate agents should work on weekends. Sure, everyone is allowed to have their days off and we all need to be able to spend time with family, but the fact is that the job of a real estate agent involves working weekends, so make sure your real estate agent roots is willing to do so. An agent’s customer service represents how professional they are and how seriously they take their job.
5. Familiarity with the Area
This is a critical point when selecting a real estate agent. The agent you choose should know the market in the region where you are buying or selling your property. The agent should have first-hand knowledge of the competition in the area, the local schools and community, and of course the price range.
6. Use of Tools and Technology
These days, your real estate agent has to be able to do more than just list your home on your local Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Today’s real estate agent should list your home on all other real estate websites including Realtor.com, Craigslist, Zillow, Trulia, Oodle, and many others. Additionally, today’s real estate agent must be familiar with the use of YouTube and other major video sites, as well as social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
7. Arrangement to hold open days
Ok, the truth is, a house rarely sells through an open house. For this reason, it is not essential that your real estate agent hold an open house every Saturday and Sunday of every weekend. However, open houses help remind the community that your house is for sale, so an open house every few weeks is obviously a good thing.