Looking for a property or selling one is an exciting experience for many people. Although it’s exciting to go house hunting just as it is to get a good deal, having a skilled property sales agent on your team will help you make this process even more rewarding. When buying or selling real estate properties, an agent who understands the market trends will help you make informed decisions. This is why choosing the right one for you is crucial.
However, not just any agent will suffice. Working with a knowledgeable and reliable agent may help ensure that your home sells or that you buy a property at the best possible price. Here are some tips to help you find the right match:
Finding Agents
Get a feel of which ones are reputable and reliable and those that aren’t. Ask around and do your research.
Seek Referrals
A reliable and old-school way to go about finishing referrals is through word of mouth. Ask your friends and family if they have anyone in mind they could recommend, and ask about their experience working with that agent. An agent may have some control over how they present themselves online, but hearing firsthand experiences from actual clients is always more trustworthy as a source.
Look Them Up Online
Just because a friend of yours had a positive experience with a certain agent doesn’t guarantee that you will too. It’s important to do your own research and look into their past work. Check out their website, Facebook page, and Yelp reviews for more information. If you want to know more about them or feel like they might be the one, consider interviewing them.
Meeting the Agents
It’s best to have about three prospective agents to interview before deciding on who to settle with. When you first meet the agent, it’s good to have a set of points you want to bring up and questions you want to ask to better gauge their worth ethic, attitude, and approach in helping you.
Know Their History
This is the opportunity for the agent to speak for themselves and the work they’ve done in the past. Ask them if they’ve ever helped anyone with a similar budget as yours and how they helped them. By asking similar scenarios as your case, you’ll have some insight into how they go about handling things.
Realistic Yet Optimistic
Buying a house is a huge financial decision, and probably one of the biggest a person has to make. Any prospective buyer would appreciate it if their agent was honest and laid out the facts for them. In such a competitive market, it’s best to have realistic expectations, and it’s the agent’s job to facilitate yours.
But with their data-driven approach and honesty, they should also be optimistic. Although the market can be unpredictable at times, they should still have the go-getter attitude to help you find the home you’re looking for.
Accommodating
A good real estate agent is someone that listens and takes into account your budget and needs. It’s also important to have someone who can help you stick within your budget. Additionally, they should be great negotiators, especially when it comes to pricing.
Deliberation Time
Now that you’ve met and talked to the prospect agents, it’s time to decide which one you’re going to have on your team. Here are some questions you should ask yourself.
Is There Chemistry?
Trust towards their judgment, advice, and expertise is one thing, but work chemistry is another. They might have the best advice to offer, but if anything feels slightly off, it can make you second guess their word. Don’t force it if it feels off; it could be your gut telling you something.
What are Their Values?
Being able to see eye to eye on most things is an important baseline in any relationship. The same can be said about your agent. Having similar values is important to make any working relationship work best for both parties, but especially for you.
How Committed are They?
It’s important to gauge their convictions and level of commitment this early on. Nobody wants a flaky and indecisive agent, especially when searching for a home. Furthermore, some might have a bias toward other clients because of their status and connections. Bear in mind that service should be fair and unbiased. It’s about forming relationships and trust towards clients and vice versa.
Choose an experienced agent with a similar work ethic to yours. Look into the agents’ credentials, strategies, and communication ability. Don’t forget to assess yourself too and how willing you are to work with them. Is this someone with whom you’ll feel at ease? Is this someone you have faith in to provide you with sound advice?