How to Choose the Right Real Estate Agent
Buying a home or property can be a stressful time. For lots of people, this is going to be the biggest purchase that they make in their life. There are a lot of unknowns which can lead to uncertainty. During these times, it’s really important to have a very reliable real estate agent.
So what should you look for in a real estate agent? What sets some agents apart from others? How can you tell a good agent from a bad one? These are all valid questions that we going to give honest answers about. This is How To Choose The Right Real Estate Agent.
Trust
Since this is such a big purchase in your life, you want to make sure that you can completely trust your real estate agent. For you, this is one of the biggest, most important decisions in your life. However, it’s important to remember that this is your agent’s job. They do this every day with different people and get paid a commission off of the sale.
Due to this fact, it’s very important to make sure your agent has your best interests at heart and is not just collecting a check. One of the best ways to determine this is to make sure that you trust them completely.
Experience
Some people argue that experience shouldn’t matter when it comes to choosing your agent. However, we’d argue that years of experience (and a history of closing deals) can show that this person has a knack for the job. This most likely means that lots of people recommend their service and that they receive lots of positive reviews.
To be in a business like real estate for that long, the agent must know what they’re doing. This leads us to our next feature to look for when choosing a real estate agent.
Positive reviews
Positive reviews can be one of the biggest things to consider when choosing the right real estate agent. There are three ways to find reviews about the agents that you’re considering.
- Check out their website to see if they have reviews posted. This is a good place to look but maybe a little biased.
- Get in contact with people who have recently worked with that agent and ask them about their experience! They will most likely want to share.
- Reverse the process. Seek out people who have recently moved and ask them which realtor they used and if they would refer you.
Most people will be honest when giving a review of their agent because they have nothing to gain from lying about it. Positive reviews are one of the best metrics when making a decision (and that goes beyond just real estate agents!).
Chemistry is key
Although positive reviews can be very important, chemistry is always a key factor to consider when making a decision. Just because a realtor was a good fit for someone else, doesn’t mean that you’ll have the same experience. This is because everyone has different needs and styles. Even if your close friends refer you to someone, that agent might have a very different approach than you’re used to.
This is why it’s important to find someone who works for you. We’d recommend taking a few weeks before really getting the process started to make sure that there is good chemistry between you and your agent. Taking a few weeks to make sure it’s a good fit in the beginning can save you lots of headaches down the road!
Communication
You want to make sure that your realtor has an effective communication style that is similar to yours. This goes back to making sure that there is good chemistry. If you’re the type of person who is available 24/7 and wants any question answered immediately, you should try to find an agent who will reflect that style.
One the other hand, if you’re more of a Type B laid back person, you should try to find an agent who doesn’t mind taking things slow. The last thing you want is to have someone who doesn’t match your communication style.
Attend Open Houses
One of the best ways to make sure that you’re a good fit for the agent beforehand is to attend open houses. This is beneficial even if you aren’t interested in the house. In a way, it’s a little bit like going to a career fair. Even if you’re not looking for anything in particular, you never know who you will run into or what contacts you will make.
Since there are usually a lot of people funneling in and out, this is also a very low-pressure scenario. It’s the ideal place to meet an agent and ask them a few questions. If you don’t get a good fit then you can just leave with no questions asked!
We hope that you’ve enjoyed this article and it has helped answer some questions when it comes to finding the right real estate agent. If you’ve found this post valuable, please subscribe to get alerted of new posts.