Shopping for a home? First, shop for a Realtor.
Before you shop for a home, there are a few things to put on your punch list — like shopping for a Realtor. Doing all you can to ensure your Realtor offers professionalism and competence paves the way for a great home-buying experience. It’s easy to jump right in, but taking the time to consider the following will put an expert in your corner, one you can work with effectively.
Interview three Realtors. Make finding a good Realtor to represent you in selling or buying a home a project, but one that will pay off in the end. Rather than automatically going with your hairstylist’s sister who’s a Realtor because it’s easy and convenient, interview her for the job — and two others. Professional Realtors will welcome the chance to speak with you, answer your questions and tell you about their strengths and work experiences.
Figure out if their communication habits work for you. Work these questions into the interview: Do you prefer to communicate via text, email, or phone? What can I expect in terms of a response time, on average? Everyone has busy days, but knowing the standard of operation for your realty partner is helpful.
Determine if they are organized. Realtors are by our side as we deal with what is likely one of the largest financial decisions of our lives. It makes sense to want someone who is up to date on the latest information and helps us access that information, as well.
GOOD SIGNS: A Realtor who gets you a buyer’s report of a home before a tour and provides you with data on comparable homes in your neighborhood when you’re pricing your house to sell.
Make sure they can negotiate well. This skill is one you will have to sense, somewhat, until offers on property start heating up. But experts agree that there are some traits good negotiators share, including emotional control, realism, ability to think clearly under stress, and confidence. If your Realtor has these traits and has been in the field for a while? Chances are that they can negotiate well.
Remember that your Realtor works for you. If you begin a working with a Realtor and you run into problems regarding communication, address them. It doesn’t make sense for you to remain frustrated or for them not to know how you feel and be given a chance to remedy the problem. If time passes and you still don’t feel that you are getting responses in a timely fashion, it’s OK to make a change.
Interviewing Realtors? Simplicity: A Real Estate Brokerage Company would love to have the opportunity to speak with you about our process and the types of clients we serve.