Whether you are selling your family home, making a first-time home purchase, or moving into the next home for your growing family, there are several decisions to be made. One that you shouldn't overlook is the importance of finding the right real estate agent for your situation.
Here are our top 5 tips when choosing a REALTOR®:
1. Research and Resources
Find agents in your area, or more importantly, find an agent who is familiar with the area you will be moving to. Look at how many listings they have, their previous sales in the area, how they market both the properties they are selling and how they market themselves. Put together a shortlist and ask family and friends for recommendations and to share past experiences. You may even want to attend an open house and meet the REALTOR® in person if you haven't already.
2. Local Knowledge
An excellent real estate agent should be a resource. They should know as much about the neighborhood or area as they do about the property. They should be knowledgeable about everything from the local school system to where a great breakfast spot is. This also shows that the REALTOR® is personally invested in the community.
3. Interview Potential Agents
Ask a lot of questions! Ask them to take you through their process of helping their clients sell or buy a home. Ask about the results that they expect. Ask how they communicate, by what means, and how often. Are they honest and upfront about their expectations? It's fair to ask about their accuracy in pricing a home to sell and how long homes they sell are typically on the market. Want to talk to their past clients? You can ask them to provide a list of past clients as well.
4. Check Them Out in Action
You can learn how they market a home and interact with potential buyers at an Open House that they are hosting. You can see how they engage with and nurture potential homeowners.
5. Make Sure You are Comfortable with Them
Sounds simple, but you should like the real estate agent you choose! They may have been recommended by many, but you still need to like and trust the REALTOR® you choose. Buying and selling a home can be stressful, and they should not add to the stress. Your Realtor should make sure you understand the process and answer all of your questions, leaving you with confidence in their expertise and knowledge.
Need a starting place to find a great REALTOR®? You can search by location here
