When you’re ready to buy your new home, you’ll want to create a professional dream team that can make the process smooth. To lead the team, you will need assistance from a savvy real estate agent who knows just what kind of home you are searching for and is keen to help you find it.
Since buying a home is such a big financial decision, investing some time investigating and interviewing real estate agents before choosing a realtor is a smart idea.
An agent can come from a friend or family member who strongly recommends him/her if you can find one on your own after looking at their reviews online. But before continuing on recommendation alone, it is worth deciding if they would be a good match for your particular needs.
Ready to get started? For a top-notch real estate agent, here are few attributes to search for:
They have a good pulse over developments in the business.
You want an agent who is well versed in the trends in real estate. Your real estate agent should be able to address comfortably what form of inventory is available in your price range and the average number of days a property is staying in the market in the neighborhoods you are looking to purchase.
Ask prospective agents in your initial conversations how many homeowners they have brought to the closing table in the last year.
Ask about the sell-to-list ratio for the seller. A sale-to-list ratio compares a home’s selling price (how much a customer actually paid) to how much it was previously advertised for (what the seller hoped to get).
A professional real estate agent can ensure their buyers get the best possible offer, often resulting in a lower ratio. So make sure you understand your market before selecting your real estate agent using a sale-to-list ratio.
They know their way around the neighborhoods.
If you have narrowed your hunt for housing down to a small location, you’ll want to go inside and out with a real estate agent who knows your target neighborhoods.
Will your prospective agent address questions about the local school districts and whether there are any potential HOA tests in different neighborhoods? Do they know what percentage pricing houses in the area are normally sold at?
If you’re new to a neighborhood, will your agent give you a sense of culture, including which parks are famous nearby, which restaurants will open soon, what your morning commute looks like, or what kind of volunteer groups might you join?
These are crucial questions-make sure that someone you recruit can answer them adequately!
They come in with positive reviews.
If you wanted to recruit at your workplace, you would expect applicants to have a CV and credentials, right? That’s a reasonable expectation to also have real estate agents, as they’re going to work with you.
Find out whether they’re a member of a local real estate agent group, how long they’ve been operating in the field, and if they’ve ever won awards or recognitions. And always ask for references.
They have the proper credentials to suit your needs.
Some real estate agents receive certificates or affiliations that help them carve out a market beyond a license. Consider selecting a real estate agent with special qualifications who can fulfil the purchasing needs of your particular home.
They’ve got time.
One last question: Go ahead and ask how many other purchasers your prospective real estate agent is actually dealing with. Do they have sufficient time to spend in searching your property? Are they available to show you open houses on the weekends? You deserve to have an agent who takes your quest for housing seriously and can move quickly when you are ready to buy.
Contact your nearest realtor if you are looking for an insightful, managed, efficient and still enjoyable real estate experience!
