If you’re in the market to purchase a home, congratulations on being ready to take this step. Now that you’re ready to buy, odds are you’re wondering how to select a good agent that can help you find the great property you’re looking for. As real estate professionals, we understand that choosing a trustworthy real estate agent can seem like a daunting prospect as first. If you’ve never hired one before, or especially if you’ve had a bad experience with a real estate agent, this process may be very overwhelming for you. That’s why we’ve put together some expert real estate agent shopper tips to make sure you have the knowledge to find yourself a trustworthy Real estate Agent.
Interviews are Key
You may not get the results you’re looking for by simply scanning the local yellow pages and picking an agent from the list. The best option for you to meet them in person. If you don’t have time to visit all of agents on your list, at a minimum you can give them a call and interview them. Be ready with your list of questions; expect your real estate agent to provide you with honest and straightforward responses. Get a feel for whether this person is committed to helping you as best as they can or if they’re just looking for a sale. Do they seem to be evading your questions or giving you contrived answers? Or do they seem genuine, direct and honest?
References and Reviews
A seasoned Real Estate Agent should be ready to provide you a list of happy customers who recommend them. Word of mouth referrals are also a great way to find your agent. Hearing about another person’s experience with a Real Estate Agent is a great way to get a clear picture of how they work and whether you’d like to hire them.
It’s All About Communication Skills
One of the most important skills that a Real Estate Agent needs to have is solid communication skills. The worst case scenario is having an agent who has not been able to listen to and grasp what your needs are. If you’ve told your agent that your budget is $200,000 maximum and your agent repeatedly shows you homes that are above your budget, you may have a real estate agent who is more concerned with their commission than they are about finding you a home that’s affordable for you. A good agent will remember the number of children and people in your household, if you need to have an office, the number of bedrooms you require, whether you have a pet that needs accommodating, etc. You shouldn’t have to remind your agents repeatedly of your needs. If you feel like that’s what you’re doing, this means your real estate agent is either serving too many clients and can’t keep them straight- or they don’t have much interest in your needs.
Be Assertive and Express Your Needs
This is one of the biggest purchases you’ll make in your life; take ownership in this process and make sure you speak up clearly for what you want. Your real estate agent may be good but no agent is a mind reader who can magically manifest the home of your dreams without some direction. If you don’t know what you want exactly, look for a real estate agent willing to discuss this with you and narrow down the type of home you want. Make sure to ask relevant questions, such as about the neighborhood school district or crime rates; a great real estate agent will make sure you get all of this relevant information as you may not know which questions to ask. However, it’s important to ask questions anyway to make sure you don’t hurry through the process and decide on a home that isn’t quite right for you.