How To Find a Good Real Estate Agent

Buying or selling your home is a life-changing event and it’s one of the biggest decisions you will ever make. This is why many people decide to go with a real estate agent to help them through the process.

Having said that, it’s also important to remember that the real estate agent you choose can easily make or break your sale. They could mean a difference of tens of thousands of dollars in your selling price, whether your house sells quickly or spends ages hanging around the market, and how stressed or relaxed you are during the entire process.

As per the National Association of Realtors, there are well over 100,000 brokerage firms and more than three million active real estate licenses in the United States. So, how do you sort out the good ones and ultimately decide on whom to hire?

The internet is packed with articles on how to find the best real estate agent, but here, we take a look at some key defining characteristics you should look for. Your search shouldn’t be on the mere surface; a decision as huge as selling or buying a house requires a lot of thought and research, so here are some important things to consider before hiring a real estate agent:

Go For Experienced Agents

The first thing you want to do is disqualify inexperienced agents who do not have recent selling experience. Selling or buying a house is a huge deal, so you need an agent who has the know-how to get the job done right.
Do not choose a real estate agent who has not been licensed for over two years. If he/she has been licensed, see if they have managed to sell a property within the last three months. If the agent has been licensed for many years but has sold fewer than ten properties, then it’s better to find someone better.

Interview Qualified Agents

You’re selling or going to buy your most valuable asset, so treat it as such by interviewing potential real estate agents. A good idea would be to interview at least three real estate agents before you decide to hire. This will allow you to get to know their professionalism and personality. Ask the right questions so you can gauge their level of experience and expertise. Some questions you need to ask are:

‘On what did you base your suggested listing price?’|

You don’t want mere numbers; you want to hear the ‘how’, so if the agent fails to explain this, it’s safe to understand that they will not be able to defend their recommended price when speaking to the buyer’s agent.

‘How many houses like mine have you sold close to my location?’

This will allow you to gain a rough estimate regarding the sales your agent has in terms of property type, value range, and proximity.

‘Can you lower your commission?’
This question will certainly put the real estate agent to the test, but it’s vital to assess their negotiating skills. If the agent cannot negotiate his/her own money, what makes you think they will negotiate yours?

‘Do you have references that I can get in touch with?’
A good agent will always have past clients that are more than willing to vouch for them.

See What Technology the Agent Uses

Any real estate agent that wants to stay updated, relevant, and on top of their game will have access to specialized technology. This could be 3D tour development, professional photographers and videographers, or aerial drone footage. Utilizing such technology can help portray your property in the best way to attract buyers and allow you to land the best deal.

Be sure to talk to your potential real estate agents about the tools they use to market the property. Besides this, choosing an agent who has an active social media following and other online groups of prospective buyers will help to get word of your property out to the public.

Actively Read Testimonials and Seek Out Reviews

When you have shortlisted your real estate agents, be sure to dedicate time to reading reviews about them. Keep in mind that you are making a very significant financial decision, so you need to know about the person you are going to work with and have an idea of his/her track record.

You can check online reviews to gain a better idea of their work ethics and also be alerted of potential red flags. Since customers are generally more likely to share bad experiences online, researching will be fairly easy and it will shed some light on any shady actions too. Facebook and LinkedIn are great places to start. Additionally, you can also ask your potential real estate agent for customer testimonials and references.

Trust Your Intuition

As they say, your gut feeling is almost always true. Only you will know how an interaction made you feel so if you didn’t feel confident or excited after interviewing a real estate agent, then it’s not a good sign. If you don’t feel good about a particular agent, irrespective of their experience and expertise, then find another option.
Connecting with an agent is of paramount importance as it will build trust and help create a good working relationship. Keep interviewing until you find an agent who is genuine, personable, and honest without offering unrealistic promises.

Here are some quick characteristics you should ideally look for in a real estate agent:

• Familiarity with the local neighborhood.
• Is friendly and approachable.
• Has great reviews and very professional handling of negative feedback, if any.
• Creative negotiator.
• A strong local reputation for successfully closing deals quickly.
• Experience in selling property similar to yours.
• Attentive to your needs.
• Offers an up-front quote.
• Takes time to familiarize him/herself with the features of the property.

Bottom Line

Buying or selling property is one of the biggest financial transactions you are going to make, and this is why you want a real estate agent you can trust. While it’s true that conducting research, interviewing multiple agents, and speaking to them before committing can take extra days and a lot of effort, it will be worth it in the long run.

Ultimately, you want the best deal on the property and your decision will impact how quickly you sell or buy a house and how much money you walk away with. We hope this article would have made you feel more confident in choosing the best real estate agent.