A lot of people start looking for a home before they start looking for a real estate agent. You do a Google search for “Homes in…” and which ever area you want to move to. You check out listings and imagine what you would change. You do the price calculator to see if you can afford the one(s) you really like. Maybe you even imagine yourself having breakfast in the kitchen – I know I do! We never seem to think about finding a great real estate agent right until we actually decide to start the process. As always, I want to share some tips with you about getting your ideal agent to work with. Don’t worry, I don’t want to sell you on any one agent. Rather, I want to help you know what you need to look for in an agent that can help you reach your goals.
Word of Mouth Works
Did you know that most people find a real estate agent through a friend or family member? Mention that you’re looking to buy a home and people usually say two things to you… Where are you looking to buy and let me give you the number to my real estate agent. Sound familiar? Word of mouth is a big deal in the real estate world. If someone you know and trust recommends a particular agent, you’re statistically likely to use them. But what if you don’t have that recommendation from someone? Or maybe you contact an agent found at random and you just don’t like them? How do you determine what makes a great real estate agent for you?
First of all, you want to be compatible with the person you choose to work with. Getting to know a little about an agent before you decide to work with them is important. You’ll be working with this person over the course of a month, minimum. And you’re paying them a nice big commission so make sure they’re worth it. Finding the right agent used to be a lot tougher. You’d either take a recommendation, work with the seller’s agent, or search online for that needle in a haystack. Now, the USDRE has a system to match you up with the appropriate agent. Someone who will work for you the way you want them to. It’s seriously so easy!
Secondly, get an agent who will work the way you want them to. If you want to chat about life, get an agent that will do the same. If you’re busy and need to talk only about business, get an agent that will get down to the nitty gritty.
Make sure your agent understands what you want out of a home. And give them your bottom line right away. I personally don’t like to be “sold” to so I’ll tell a potential agent that. If you try to change my mind about this, that, or the other… You can’t be my agent. There’s just some things I won’t budge on! But if you’re the person that wants suggestions and advice; there’s a great real estate agent out there for you.
Obviously make sure they’re licensed in the area in which you wish to buy. As well, make sure they are licensed period! You do not want someone that doesn’t know what they’re doing or, worse, lost their license for some reason. Any agent you talk to should be ready and willing to discuss their credentials. If you get a weird vibe from them, look elsewhere.
How to pick a GREAT agent >>
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