Finding a Good Real Estate Agent Shouldn’t Be Scary
October 30th, 2008 categories: Buyers, Sellers
Some things are meant to be scary, like horror movies, suspense novels and, of course, Halloween. But finding a trustworthy Realtor shouldn’t be scary.
With over a million and a half brokers out there, it’s not hard to find a broker — the challenge lies in finding a good one. Here are some tips from wikiHow on how to do that:
Meet agents out in their working environment, not in their offices. Good agents spend very little time at their desks.
Another good method is to contact the agent with whom a friend or relative worked. If this agent produced positive results for a friend of yours, there’s a good chance he will do the same for you.
Look for signs that the agent is busy. A hard-working, go-getter of an agent is what you want. But if you feel slighted, like if your agent spends most of his time with you on his cellphone with another customer, find a different agent.
It’s important that your agent is knowledgeable. Ask questions about things you have learned through your new-found interest in real estate. If they don’t know substantially more than you, go on to another prospective agent. Local knowledge is particularly critical.
View agent websites and see how they are using content to market themselves.
Ask your agent where they live. An agent that lives and works locally will have their finger on the pulse of the market and be able to answer important questions about the community.
Ask if they can recommend service providers who can assist in obtaining a mortgage, making repairs on your home, and other things you need done.
Ask how long they have been a realtor. It’s not that newer agents aren’t capable. It’s just a fact you should know in order to make an informed decision. Many “experienced” agents are not always the best choice either. Especially if they haven’t kept up with technology.
