Hiring a Real Estate Agent
Whether you are planning on buying or selling a home, choosing the right real estate agent is something you want to take some time to do. You will be working closely with this person for a period of time, and you want to make sure that you click. You also want to make sure that the agent you choose has your best interests in mind. In short, you want to do your research before committing to an agent.
Know the Characteristics of a Good Agent
Knowing what credentials your future real estate agent has will help you to make a smart choice. A designation of Realtor is one that is a member of the National Association of Realtors. An agent who is a member of this association undergoes additional training, demonstrates appropriate professional skills and adheres to the National Association of Realtors code of ethics. With a Realtor you can be sure you are getting the most professional agent.
Talk to Past Clients
A great real estate agent is going to have many clients that you can talk to that will sing their praises. A real estate transaction can be a lengthy process and you spend a lot of time together. You will find that many agents have clients that continue to be great friends. Ask your potential agent for contact information with their last four or five clients. This will give you a good idea of what kind of agent he or she is.
Online Presence
Online marketing is such a huge part of buying and selling today. You want to make sure that an agent has a good online presence. If you are selling your home, you want to make sure that your agent is going to put it on social media and that there he/she has a good following that will reach a lot of people.
Looking online can also allow you to see reviews from past clients. You may not have spoken with a client that was unhappy with the agent, but the agent can’t hide their online reviews.
All in all, you want to be sure that you do your research before hiring a real estate agent. It’s good to sign a contract for just 90 days to start with, so that if things aren’t going well you aren’t committed to a 6-month or yearlong contract.
