When you’re on the search for someone to buy and sell your home, you can’t just choose the first real estate agent you hear of. Finding the right real estate agent for you requires the same thoughtfulness that you need to have when buying a house. Here are a few tips on how you can choose the right real estate agent for you.
Reach Out to Recent Clients
The best way to see if a real estate agent can satisfy you as their client is to reach out to former clients of real estate agents you’re interested in. You don’t want to talk to someone who worked with them too long ago because their impression isn’t fresh. Finding a recent client will help you determine whether the agent fulfilled their wants and if they’ll be able to do the same for you.
Research the Agent You’re Interested In
Once you’ve browsed through the internet and have found some promising candidates, the next step is to research them. Through your research, you’ll want to take note of a few things such as what credentials does the agent possess, how long have they’ve been working, if they’re properly licensed, if they’ve received any complaints, and whether they’ve won any awards.
Be Sure To Ask the Important Questions
The agent you hire is doing a job for you so don’t be afraid to ask questions that you feel are important. Here are a few questions that are important to ask your real estate agents.
What Area Do You Cover?
Real estate agents often become extremely familiar with certain areas where they help clients buy and sell often. It’s important to find someone who does have knowledge of a neighborhood but also sells outside of that neighborhood. If an agent is only knowledgeable of one area, they might try to fit you into that area even if it’s not a good fit for you.
What’s Your Ratio of Buyers to Sellers?
Many agents also become comfortable with doing one side of the spectrum. They either work primarily with sellers or primarily with buyers. While having detailed knowledge of how one side works is always a plus, it limits the perspective they have on the other side which can hinder the seamlessness of the transaction.
What Type of Communications Can I Expect From You?
Communication is key to everything. If you and your agent don’t communicate well, it can lead to issues and unneeded frustration. You need to understand how you each communicate and should set expectations on how often you should be in touch with each other. It’s also important to set expectations on how that communication should transpire whether it be face-to-face, over text or email, or over the phone. These factors should be up to your discretion as you’re the client and should make you comfortable.
The Bottom Line
The right real estate agent for you is out there but they won’t just fall into your lap. For the proper help in finding the right house for you, find the real estate agent that up to the job. Of course you could always learn how to become a real estate agent yourself!