Buying or selling a home is never a walk in the park. There’s a lot of hard work that has to go into it, and either would have a significant financial impact on the buyer or seller. That’s why you shouldn’t take any chances. If you have the opportunity to work with experts to help you out, go ahead and hire them. Those experts are real estate agents.
Before you go for a particular individual, remember that not all real estate agents you’re going to come across are reliable ones. Because there’s no shortage of such professionals, you may wind up getting overwhelmed by all the options out there. If you want to achieve the best results with a real estate agent who has reasonable commission fees, then you have to assess each of your prospects carefully.
To be able to separate the bad agents from the good ones, keep these five factors in mind:
- General Real Estate Experience
There’s no substitute to years of experience. The real estate agent you hire should be someone boasting extensive experience in the industry. When you put a premium on that particular quality, you’re increasing the chances of choosing a professional who’s likely to deliver excellent services from start to finish.
A seasoned agent will have the knowledge and skills to make sure that your property sale or purchase goes smoothly. They’ve mastered the ins and outs of real estate transactions, so they’ll be able to accommodate you even if you’re a first-time homebuyer or home seller. You can rest assured that you’re in good hands with an experienced real estate agent vis-a-vis one who hasn’t been in the field for that long.
- Familiarity With Your Neighborhood
Beyond one’s overall experience as previously discussed, it’s also to your advantage to select a real estate agent with specific experience in dealing with properties in your neighborhood. Or they should at least be familiar with the area where the home you’re selling or buying is.
This is important since your real estate agent needs to be aware of what a fair asking price is locally. It also enables you to get information on the features that buyers look for in homes in your area, the unique selling points of other properties, and even legal matters pertaining to the transfer of ownership and completion of sale.
When the real estate agent you’re hiring has experience in the market or neighborhood you’re dealing with, you can be sure that your house selling or buying journey will be free of problems.
- What Clients Say About Them
If you have friends or family members who’ve hired a real estate agent in the past, you may want to ask them for names of agents they highly recommend. If not, then it’s on you to get to know each of the professionals on your list.
You can find out more about them by going through their social media pages and websites. In doing so, you can browse the feedback they’ve received to assess whether or not a certain real estate agent is trustworthy. If there’s anything that you consider a red flag, then follow your instincts. The last thing you’ll want is to sign a contract with a real estate agent and then find out later on that they’re not as good as they initially claimed to be.
- Response Time
During those first few meetings or conversations when you’re mostly making inquiries, observe the agent’s response time. How fast do they respond to your phone calls and emails? Are they receptive to and patient with your questions? If they’re not, then you could be setting yourself up for a challenging professional relationship with your real estate agent.
Go for someone who takes the time to pick up your calls and address your concerns. The more patient they are, the better. Surely you wouldn’t want to work with a professional who takes anywhere from several days to a week or even longer to get back to you even for the simplest matters.
- Price
Real estate agents have their respective fees. Like any other professional, some of them would be more expensive to hire than others. But remember that the price isn’t always an indication of expertise. It’s up to you to weigh the agent’s rate against their qualities and experience. That way, you won’t be stuck with someone you can’t even afford.
Conclusion
Use the factors above as your own checklist when hiring a real estate agent. As much as possible, you’ll want to find one who meets your needs and preferences and has the majority of your desired traits and characteristics. With the amount of money involved in buying and selling a home, it’s only right for you to choose the best real estate agent around by being extra careful and discerning during the selection process. Your efforts will surely be worth it in the end.
