Choosing the right real estate agent is a pivotal decision that can significantly impact your property-buying journey. Whether you’re embarking on a quest for investment properties, your dream home, or your first home, a competent real estate agent can be a reliable guide, offering invaluable support throughout your home-buying journey.
With over 1.5 million registered real estate agents (National Association of Realtors) among around 2 million agents nationwide, the sheer volume can be overwhelming. However, armed with these tips, you can confidently navigate this vast pool and ensure that the person you choose to assist you in purchasing your next property is genuinely on your side for the entire journey.
Ask Around
Chances are, you know people who have utilized the services of a real estate agent in the past. In fact, you probably know more than one person who has done so. Their firsthand experiences, both positive and negative, can provide invaluable insights into the agents they worked with and the quality of their services. This is a powerful way to gain honest feedback and understand what working with these professionals is like.
Identify The Right Agent
Knowing the difference between a seller’s agent and a buyer’s agent is crucial. A seller’s agent works to get the best deal for the seller and will help secure the sale on their behalf. On the other hand, a buyer’s agent is focused on you, the buyer. They can help you scour the market for existing listings and use their knowledge to get you the right deal when buying property. Understanding these roles can help you choose an agent who is truly on your side.
Identify Your Market
Real estate agents often specialize in specific markets or areas. These could be rural properties, beachfront real estate, or luxury properties. Knowing the type of property you’re looking for can enable you to narrow down your search by finding the people working in that specific sector. For instance, if you’re interested in buying a luxury property, you might want to look for an agent who specializes in high-end real estate like lux homes in the Carribean.
By choosing a more niche real estate agent, you can benefit from their expert skills and understanding of the clientele and what they want and need, and they will be less likely to try to persuade you to buy something that isn’t what you are looking for want.
Pinpoint The Location
Local knowledge is a key asset for a real estate agent. Whether you’re buying in your local area or further afield, like different countries or a different state, focus your search for the right real estate agent on the local geographical area you plan to buy in. This is important because they will have in-depth knowledge of a specific location, understand the fluctuations in the market, and be able to give you buying advice and alert you to upcoming properties or changes in the market.
Check Reviews
People love to share their thoughts on anything and everything these days, so finding genuine reviews from clients past and present shouldn’t be too hard. Using social media accounts to find feedback from clients, industry sites, Yelp, etc., you can collect as much input as you need to form an idea of whether or not the agents you have shortlisted will be suitable for you.
Make Appointments
Making appointments and talking to different real estate agents is a valuable use of your time. It’s a great way to learn more about them and determine if they are what you want. Have a list of questions you want to ask them, don’t be pressured into making any decisions, and try to meet at least three agents before you decide on someone. This proactive approach can give you a sense of control and confidence in your decision-making process.
Some good tips when booking appointments are not to make any definite decisions there and then, be prepared to walk away and pay attention to how busy they are, how easy or hard it is to pin them down, and even how distracted they are with others concerns and clients during your meeting. This can be a good indicator of how heavy their workload is and what you can expect when keeping in contact with them moving forward.
Look At Their Experience
Finding out each agent’s experience is a must to help you understand the quality of their work and what you can expect working with them. This doesn’t mean you disregard anyone newly qualified or without too much experience; you need to focus on the quality of their work, not the quantity of their work.
