How to Choose a Trustworthy Real Estate Agent
ifference between a seamless home buying experience and a difficult slog to closing day is a top-tier real estate agent. If you’re in the beginning stages of looking for your next home or selling your current home, you’re likely looking for a trustworthy agent to team up with. But if you’re new to the world of real estate or haven’t been in it for a while, you might not know where to start. Let’s break down how to find the perfect real estate agent for you.
Where Can I Find a Good, Trustworthy Real Estate Agent?
There are a handful of ways people typically find a real estate agent.
Through a Friend
Roughly 40% of home sellers find their agent through their personal network. You likely have a friend or a friend of a friend that worked with a real estate agent they loved. Ask around and see if anyone has a recommendation for you to vet.
Online Research
Most real estate agents maintain an active presence online. They likely have an updated website with their credentials listed for your review. Many real estate agents also stay quite active on social media. Additionally, you can check out online resources such as the NAR Directories to find credible real estate agents near you.
Referral Agent
If you’re looking to buy in a different state, you might want to consider using a referral agent. In order to go this route, you’ll need to have a local agent you trust. They can help you find an agent in the city you’re interested in moving to. The referral agent and the agent in the new city will share the commission from your home purchase.
Selecting Your Realtor
Once you track down a handful of promising options, narrow down your list to about three agents. Now it’s time to pick which of these options will be the best fit for you. Part of this process is knowing what questions to ask. Here are some examples:
- Do you typically work with buyers or sellers?
- Are you comfortable working with both buyers and sellers?
- How long have you been working in real estate?
- What’s your specialty?
- How well do you know the area?
- How many active clients do you have at the moment?
- Are you part of a team?
- How do you plan on marketing my home?
- Do you have references I can call?
As you work through the interviewing and vetting process, be sure to look out for some key qualities in a trustworthy real estate agent. Here are qualities you want in an agent:
- Friendly, approachable attitude
- Familiarity with the area and neighborhood you’re buying/selling in
- Offers you an up-front quote
- Detail-oriented and organized
- Excellent reviews and great referrals
- Receptive to your wants and needs
- A record of quick, successful closings
- Creative negotiator and proactive problem solver
- Experienced with similar selling/buying scenarios as yours
Signs of a Bad Real Estate Agent
You should also be aware of the qualities you don’t want in a real estate agent too. You don’t want to end up with an agent that will delay the process or give you bad counsel on your house hunting or selling journey. If an agent you interview has any of the following qualities, they likely aren’t going to be a good option:
- They’re pushy. Their role is to guide you, not push you through the process.
- Poor or delayed communication. You need to be on the same page from start to finish.
- They are constantly running late or not showing up.
- Bad negotiating skills. They may not properly vets offers or get you the best deal.
- No professional website or marketing effort.
- Dishonesty. Run if a realtor misrepresents you, urges you to conceal information in a contract, or outright lies.
- Only providing information and not guidance. The whole point of hiring an agent is to get advice on what the best path forward is.
How to Move Forward With Sucess
Once you decide what realtor you’d like to work with, be sure to establish a mutual understanding of your expectations right away. You’ll want to be on the same page about how you’ll communicate and share information right out of the gate. Be sure you’re both clear on how often you’ll be communicating and your preferred method of communication.
Create an understanding of what your requirements as a seller or buyer will be. Remember, you and your agent are a team. There will be a lot of participation on your end to assure the process goes smoothly. What will you need to do to prep your home for sale? Will you need to go to open houses and showings as a seller? These are important questions to ask your agent.
The very best client-real estate agent relationships are built on clear communication and expectations. It’s vital to have certain aspects of your agreement in writing to protect both parties. Commission structure, listing price, and contract length are all specifics you’ll want to establish and document as soon as you start your real estate journey. As long as you took the time to properly vet your agent, it will be smooth sailing from there!