Find a realtor
So you are looking to find a realtor? You’ve decided it is time to sell your home, or perhaps just buy another and you need help from a professional in making the best choice you can make. The problem is you have a decision to make before you jump into something as big as selling your home. You have the decision of looking at the numerous options out there and choosing to find a realtor that will best suit you and the needs of putting your house on the market.
Most realtors are new, which also means they are very inexperienced. Now there are many good real estate agents out the as well, but often you will find they are extremely busy and overworked so you may not get the attention you deserve. So how do you choose the right realtor? What can you ask that will allow you to find a realtor that meets your requirements? We’ll examine a breakdown of steps shortly, but go in to this knowing that the cheapest realtor does not mean the best realtor (if they can’t even negotiate how much they make, how good do you think they will negotiate for you?), nor is the most expensive real estate agent necessarily the best. In the end you want to hire a realtor that will not only work hard, but negotiate hard for you as well. Now on to the steps:
Ok so first always remember that it is YOU that is looking to find a realtor. So you are the boss. Make sure that you interview possible candidates thoroughly and use the same criteria consistently. Whether you are looking for a realtor to help you buys or sell, know that it should be you calling the shots.
Now a starting point on where to even begin looking for an agent, with so many available would be referrals from family or friends. Ask around to people you trust if they’ve had any good experiences with any particular realtors. Also look in the area you plan to buy/sell in, do you notice any one real estate agent with a sort of “monopoly” in the area (as in you see his/her name on many signs in the neighborhood)? Well good chance that they are quite the expert as far as real estate in the area.
Your home is most likely your largest asset. It is something that should not be taken lightly on any front, including trying to find a realtor to sell it, or to acquire a new home. Oh you have a friend that just became a realtor and you’d feel bad if you didn’t give him the business? Are you kidding me? You’d feel a lot worse if you didn’t even get close to your asking price because the poor agent can’t negotiate. Now this isn’t to say you can’t hire someone close to you, or someone with limited experience. My point is do your due diligence and put them through the same interview you’d put any prospective agent through. There is always the reverse as well!
You don’t want an agent that is so good that they have so many clients and are so busy that they just can’t give you the time you require. You want a realtor who can be there for you whenever you call. Again your home is a huge part of your life and the real estate market can be a scary place. You need someone who can make you feel comfortable, and not rushed, as to avoid any bad decisions. Not someone who may just be too busy to return your calls.
Another way to find realtors to work with in the sea of agents in your town is to throw up a for sale by owner sign, and see if you get any real estate agents call you asking for the business. Initiative is huge.
Again to make it clear though, the above are just ways to find an agent, that was the easy part, now comes the harder part. Interviewing the realtors!
The first question you should ask your potential agent is how many years they’ve been in real estate (specifically as a realtor). What you want to hear is that they have at least 2 years experience as an actual real estate agent. Again this is not saying the realtors with less experience can’t be as good but the reason we choose the two year mark is because of the massive amount of turnover in the profession. Eighty percent of the people who become realtors end up out of the profession; you don’t want to have a contract with someone who is going to leave the profession before your home is sold. So by general rule if they’ve been in the commission game of real estate they’ve probably done well.
Another thing you can ask is how many homes they’ve sold recently, then ask to see a list of the homes. If they have not sold at least one a month then chances are they will not be in the game much longer.
Once you’ve narrowed down a list of realtors to work with, start calling them at different times of the day. If they are not returning your calls in a timely manner then there is no reason to hire them, and by timely manner the real estate agent should be returning your call within the hour. If they aren’t even answering call backs with a potential client, what makes you think they will answer the phone with buyers call inquiring about your home for sale?
Now do take into account who the realtor is as well, realtors won’t always answer (especially when long established) because they have to make time for themselves and their families. An agent who shows respect to his clients is the one who can’t answer but already has a message as to why, or has your call forwarded to another agent who can assist until they can return your call.
FIND A REALTOR
The last piece of advice I can give is sign for a trial period first. If you’ve found a realtor that you do like you can always renew for longer once the listing contract expired, otherwise you can move onto another real estate agent.
Hope that helped in your quest to find a realtor.
