Whether you are buying or selling a house, getting an excellent real estate agent can make the entire experience easier. Although finding a good agent can be difficult, it makes a big difference when you know you are working with the right person.
A lot of consideration should go into choosing the perfect agent. Knowing what to look for can save you a lot of time and stress of switching agents halfway through your process. Let’s take a look at some things to consider when choosing the right real estate agent for you.
A Good Reputation
Before choosing a real estate agent, you should do your research – especially if you are a first-time buyer. Chances are, there are many real estate agents vying for your business in your local area.
A search on Google can help you narrow the list and eventually help you choose the right match. You can also go through the reviews to determine which agent will be best for you. Asking friends, family, and people in your community for recommendations is also a good idea.
Choose someone with experience in your area and a proven track record of closing deals.
For example, Donna Spillane and her team have been in the industry for 16 years and can provide many examples of successful home-buying and selling clients. The right agent will not be shy to share this information with you and provide references if necessary.
Availability and Convenience
One of the reasons people prefer buying or selling their homes through a realtor is because of the flexibility and convenience it offers.
If you tried to buy or sell your home on your own, you would have to take time off your daily schedule to either view the house you want to purchase or show the purchasing agent and their clients around your home.
You would also have to negotiate with experienced salespeople who have deep knowledge you may not have, leaving you in a more vulnerable spot in terms of getting the best deal.
Find a real estate agent who is always available to see you, show you homes, or show your house – even on weekends. Having a flexible real estate agent also ensures that you get replies to your messages and questions on time.
Good Communication Skills
It is vital to stay in constant communication with your real estate agent. You should be able to reach your real estate agent by phone or video call, whenever necessary. Other communication channels like text messages and emails come in handy too.
Your real estate agent should not take days to return your calls or reply to your messages.
To determine if the agent is good at communicating with clients, send several agents in your area an email. The length of time it takes for them to reply to you is a good indicator of how available they will be once you have them as your agent.
Online Presence
With the amount of time most people spend online these days, any good real estate agent should be using online tools to attract more clients and customers. Every good real estate agent should have a website that is updated regularly as well.
Look at how often information is updated on their website or social media networks.
Do they have a blog where they regularly post articles that home buyers and sellers will be interested in? All these are indicators that the agent means business. Running a website involves time and money, and typically only serious people will invest in it.
Listings
When you visit their websites, you should also check out their listings.
How many houses are they selling? Are their listings written well with all of the necessary information included? How long do their houses stay on the market before being sold? Do they have any recent listings?
The answers to these questions will help you determine how successful they are.
You should also check the quality of the pictures and videos they upload onto the site. Whether you are planning on buying or selling, checking out the agent’s current listings will give you an idea about how your home will look under their marketing plan.
Buying or selling a property can be exciting, and finding the right real estate agent makes the process stress-free. Do your due diligence and research to find an excellent real estate agent who has your interests at heart.