What To Look For In A Real Estate Agent?
Selling a home is not always that easy. Simply putting a sign on the front lawn and hoping to pitch people who knock on the door is not a realistic approach. Hiring a talented and experienced real estate agent is going to help the cause of moving a home a great deal. Choosing a real estate agent should never be done with casual flippancy either. Ten important things must be taken into consideration before hiring anyone.
Stays In Touch
Whether the agent is called, emailed, texted, or sent a note via social media, the agent should promptly acknowledge and contact the homeowner back. No one wants to be left hanging. A good real estate agent knows this and would never ignore a client’s calls or correspondence.
On The Same Page With Client Needs
Certain clients are looking for the highest price they can get, others just want to sell the house as quickly as possible. No matter what the client wants, the real estate agent must be willing – within reason – to meet those needs.
Clear Compensation Arrangement
Contrary to what some assume, agents are allowed to negotiate their compensation arrangement. Both the client and the agent should be able to come to an agreement on what that fee will be. The agent serves a client well by providing written details about the compensation arrangement once a figure has been agreed upon.
Great Knowledge Of Neighborhood
The location of a home has a lot to do with how quickly or slowly it sells and what price is reasonable based on the condition of the home in a particular neighborhood. The real estate agent absolutely must know the neighborhood and how “hot or cold” sales are going and what the proper price on a property is. The better the agent knows the neighborhood, the better the agent can represent a client.
Familiar With The Law
No, a real estate agent is not there to serve as official legal counsel. That said, the agent should possess decent knowledge about applicable state and local laws related to real estate sales. Such knowledge is required to answer important client questions.
Knows How to Get Your Home ‘Show-Room’ Ready
The agent is doubtfully going to recommend costly renovations and repairs. Rather, the agent is sure to present insights on what is necessary to get the property ready to show potential buyers. The more presentable the home is, the better the impression on the buyer.
Clear & Solid Marketing Plan
A basic classified ad just isn’t enough. An comprehensive social media, internet, print, and business-to-business marketing plan is likely needed to move the house. A serious real estate agent must present such a thorough plan.
Tech-Savvy
In order to maximize the efficiency of selling the home, knowledge of apps and software is required. Modern real estate agents are ones with enough technical knowledge to use these programs to their – and the client’s – best advantage.
Trustworthy
Homeowners are best served working with an agent who comes off as genuinely trustworthy and honest. Of course, the agent’s actions must further instill the sense of trust.
Listen To Your Gut
Unless the client feels comfortable with the real estate agent, the agent is not the right person. A homeowner should always feel he/she made the right decision hiring a particular agent.