Finding Your Real Estate Agent

Whether you’re in the market for a buying or selling real estate agent, finding a competent one is no easy task. With tons of people wanting to share the real estate pie, you have to know who’s walking the walk versus those who are all talk. The points below can be used to develop a strong filter for getting your first good real estate agent.

 

Initial Preparations

Before we start things off, it might be smart to get to know some of the terms you’d often encounter during this search. As you scour the internet for companies, agencies, and contact details, you’ll be seeing the term Realtor (yes, with a capital “R”) attached to an agent. That simply means that this real estate agent is a member of the National Association of Realtors. Their main difference with normal agents is that they’ve signed an agreement that binds them to their code of ethics and received training in various aspects of real estate. They essentially do the same thing for you, but on paper, Realtors are more trustworthy. Of course, bad apples still exist on any level, so this article is written for your benefit.

 

Another detail you need to know is that buyer’s and seller’s agents are different. It’s not that hard to differentiate. Buyer’s agents help people buy houses and seller’s agents help people sell houses (or “list” them, thus they’re also known as “listing” agents). Some of the advice mentioned below may apply more on the seller’s side, others for buyers, but most are still applicable to both.

 

For instance, if you’re a buyer, before finding your real estate agent, you might want to know how much you can spend first. Just having a rough estimate in your head isn’t enough, because, honestly, sometimes we don’t really know ourselves that well. Let the experts handle it and get a mortgage pre-approved. Knowing your spending power means that you’ll also have an idea of what price range you’re going for, which may affect the decision-making process for choosing an agent.

 

Where Do You Find Them?

It’s always a good idea to start where it makes sense, like visiting a local real estate agency’s website or even checking print advertisements (as archaic as it might seem).

 

Want something a little more technical? You can also find active agents through posts on various real estate sites like Zillow. If you feel like going outside, then having a quick trip around the neighborhood to see who’s getting all the SOLD signs are under their name is a good trick!

 

Asking around isn’t such a bad idea as well. You could get recommendations from your friends, relatives, and colleagues that have done it before. Take note, though, that your needs may be different from what theirs were at the time. Additionally, you can trust the word of mortgage lenders and bank officers, since it’s in their best interests to bring you to the right people and they’ve likely worked with them already.

 

With that in mind, you can ask other agents and Realtors too! For example, if the one you’re talking to already has their hands full, you can ask them who’s the next best person to go to. Or if you’re a seller, but they’re only helping buyers, ask for the names of the listing agents they deal with the most.

 

What are You Looking for in a Real Estate Agent?      

There are a few variables that you should look for when finding your agent. One of them is that they should be local. Other than supporting someone local, going with a local real estate agent gives you the edge of their expertise in the area, as each location has different rules and regulations. Not to mention, not all places have the same market conditions, so make sure you look at their listings to see if they work on properties close to you.

 

Another is availability. Understand that each agent has their own style of doing business. Some prefer doing calls only, some by instant messaging, and others like to do personal meetups. Others also work with an assistant or a whole team, which means that you might only be having conversations with a team member instead! That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but setting up your expectations in that regard could improve the experience.

 

The agent’s personality may also prove to be an essential factor in assessing your time with them. Some might be laughing at that idea, but we all know that sometimes, we just can’t stand someone for absolutely no reason at all! Or at least, if you’re a nice person, there are those who you like to deal with more than others. The way they communicate (via call or text, for example) may play a role in your opinion of them, but it could also include their language, how much effort they take to explain something, or even just how quickly they respond to your texts! But, do understand that agents are not supposed to be your best friends and that you should still put more weight on someone who knows what they’re doing instead of someone whose ONLY strong suit is that they’re nice.

 

Interview and Research

If you haven’t gotten the memo yet, you’re supposed to interview your prospect agents! To know those things mentioned above, talking to them would bring those mysteries to light.

 

Interview more than one agent. You don’t want to miss out on better ones by just going with the first person who seems alright. Try to get in touch with a max of five people to see what your options look like.

 

Due diligence is a crucial element to your success. These days, while word of mouth might be a good indicator of a capable real estate agent, there are ways to verify those claims. Spend a couple of minutes (or hours) visiting their websites and social media accounts (if they use one for business purposes) to see what their reviews and feedback are like. There might be a couple of trolls that you could ignore, but if you observe a pattern of poor reviews, try looking somewhere else.

 

Make sure to request references and call them accordingly. Ask them to give details on previous homes they’ve worked with, preferably their most recent ones. If those previous clients answer your call, try to see if they’d hire this person again. Should they be unable to provide a substantial amount of referrals within the past year as a FULL-TIME agent, treat that as a red flag.

 

For sellers, going to open houses is something you could try out as well. Meeting and interacting with your prospect agents in their natural habitat can give you a picture of what the experience would be for your potential buyers.

 

Lastly, it’s also wise to consult with your local real estate regulators if they’re licensed. That tip might be a given to some, but you won’t believe how many people forget the obvious.

 

Questions to Ask

These might encompass the details we’ve talked about in the other points, but some might not be able to put them into words.

 

1. How did you get hired at the agency? What sort of credentials or paperwork was required? – This gives you a sense of security that the agent or Realtor knows what they’re doing. Feel free to check online sources if their answers are accurate.
2. How often would you be available? Do you have a team or an assistant? How are we going to communicate? Who will I be talking to? – As mentioned earlier, you want to know what to expect as far as communication is concerned.
3. How long have you been doing this kind of work?
4. How many deals have you closed this past year? How about this year so far? Do you do this full-time? – Full-time agents would likely be more seasoned than part-timers. However, that’s not always the case.
5. How many clients are you working with right now? – Note that too many may restrict time for you while too low may reflect inexperience.
6. Can I see your license? 
7. Do you have references I can call?
8. How long do you work with buyers or sellers? – When selling, the contract should be limited to six months or less since you want to be able to work with another one as soon as possible if they can’t sell within that time frame.
9. Have you worked along with these prices and these locations? – You’re going to want to work with someone with experience in the same price category and area you’re in.
10. How much commission do you charge? – Usually, they’re going to be from five to six percent, which is split between the buyer’s and seller’s agents.

 

Are Real Estate Agents the ONLY Solution?

If you’re trying to sell a house, you might be surprised that going for a real estate agent or Realtor is not the easiest solution!

 

Working with a real estate investor can make the selling process much faster. Sure, you’re also going to have to do some research to see who’s reputable and all, but you won’t have to do anything more once you find the right one. With agents, you’re still going to have to renovate, find buyers, and deal with a load of tedious paperwork! With investors, it’s just a matter of contacting the investor, waiting for their visit, and getting an offer. How easy is that? You’d be selling the property for a lower price, but you’d be skipping out on a ton of tedious work.

 

There are plenty of options out there, but since you’re here, we’d recommend taking a look at Shorefront Investments (that’s us!). You can either call us, send us a message, or fill out the “Sell My House” form to get in touch. We’ll get in touch as soon as possible once we hear from you.

 

At the end of it all, trust your gut. Sometimes, even if things are great on paper, you might still feel that something’s not right.