Whether you’re buying or selling, finding an agent who’s a good fit for you is important to make the process run smoothly. Use the following steps to ensure you find a good agent:
Ask and drive around
Talk with family, friends, and neighbors who recently bought or sold a home for referrals. However, keep in mind that your real estate agent has to be right for you, and what you’re looking for might be different from what your friends and family need.
Ask specifically what they liked about their real estate agent and any reservations they may have had. This information can give you a sense of any issues that might be a problem for you, and friends and family will be more likely to tell you the truth.
To find more agents, drive around your community and see who has posted for-sale signs and contact them: They’re likely to have expertise in your neighborhood.
Check backgrounds online
While you’re doing your research, check agents’ websites and resumes for awards, honors, and other signs of recognition.
Sometimes, honors are a positive sign, but top-selling agents might not have much time for personal interaction, if that’s important to you.
Interview prospective agents
Once you’ve developed a list of potential agents, interview each and find out the following information:
- Gauge experience and success
How long have they been licensed, and how many transactions do they do each month? Ideally, you would like an agent to have at least five years of experience in your geographic area and to be doing one or two transactions per month. Sometimes, less experience is OK if you have a strong positive chemistry with the agent.
- See if they know the area
How long have they been working in your geographic area, and do they live near the area? Test their knowledge by asking what the lowest and highest sales prices have been in the area in the last six months.
Ask what’s causing homes to sell at those prices and what determines the frequency of sales. An agent should be able to give you information on neighborhoods, general price ranges, and nearby businesses quickly.
If an agent’s experience is not in your area, they might not be the best choice for you.
- Ask about their team
Do they work alone, or do they have a team supporting them? Will you have a lot of personal contact with the agent? Or will you work with specialists on the team who each handle specific parts of the process?
Which way of working do you prefer, and does the agent’s style mesh with yours? Avoid agents who do not appear to be responsive to emails and phone calls.
- Inquire about upcoming commitments
Does the agent have any planned vacations or other commitments? If an agent has a vacation planned or some other commitment, you need to decide if this will affect the buying or selling of your property.
The bottom line
With help from the information above, finding a real estate agent shouldn’t be too taxing — just be sure to watch out for red flags that signal that you might not want to work with a particular real estate agent. Good luck!
