BookmarkRealtor Help - Finding the Right Match
Help finding the perfect realtor
As with anything else, there is no clear cut method for making sure that you get the right realtor. And like anything else, there are a series of questions and good practices that you can use to safeguard yourself and hope for the best. Let's first take a look at what you might do to find a realtor, and the corresponding benefits and shortcomings of each method:
Referrals: Friends always have friends who sell houses; they will be recommended. If they can't provide anything more concrete than a glowing review, thank them kindly and look for facts about their success.
Search Online: These are handy because they allow you to break down realtors by specific areas of expertise. It makes good sense, but since the agent is largely responsible for the information, it is probably biased.
Go to Open Houses:Watching agents work is a great way to get a feel for realtors. Observe their behavior with prospective buyers and whether they are chatty or actually selling the house.
Referrals from Pros: Successful professionals know other professionals. Asking a mortgage broker for a real estate agent makes sense because they deal with each other a lot. Also consider recommendations from real estate agents with other areas of expertise.
Once you've got a handle on a few agents that you are considering, go through a few questions with them. It's no secret that real estate agents make a living by being affable, engaging people. With this in mind, don't be taken by charm or someone who's just really nice.
Inquire about their years in the business. Experience pays, but agents who get around are also tough to get a hold of. A young real estate agent looking to prove something could be just as valuable.
- Ask for the list to sales price ratio. Your buying agent should be able to provide evidence that her sales prices regularly undercut the list price. For a selling agent, the sales price should be very close to the list.
- As an introductory conversation, see if you can't get the agent to chat a bit about a marketing strategy for finding or selling a house.
- Make sure the real estate agent is comfortable with you reviewing any documents before you are expected to sign them. Of course the agent will answer yes - this just provides insurance that you won't be shoved in a room and handed papers to sign immediately.
- See if your prospective agent can supply you with a list of other professionals needed in home buying. Home inspectors, mortgage brokers, and title companies are all necessary. If they are affiliated, make sure you aren't paying a finder's fee.
- Ask flat out how much the real estate agent charges. The fees are always negotiable, but it is good to know up front what an agent expects.
More information on realtors