A Guide to Choosing the Right Agent for You

When buying or selling a home, working with a qualified real estate agent is crucial. Not just a professional but a fantastic agent and a market expert. So how do you ensure you're hiring an excellent real estate agent?

According to the National Association of Realtors®, trust and reputation are the Top deciding factors consumers use when hiring an agent. In this guide, we've outlined the top attributes outstanding agents possess and the questions you can ask to ensure you're working with the right market expert to achieve your real estate goals.

FIVE ATTRIBUTES OF AN AMAZING AGENT

Not all real estate professionals are the same. Following are five key attributes of excellent agents to help you understand what makes top agents and market experts stand apart from the competition:

1. A Pricing Specialist: For buyers, outstanding agents have a strong understanding of market trends to help you identify and secure a deal to ensure you get the home you want within your desired budget. For sellers, market experts have experience pricing homes optimally for the market, helping you sell for your desired price and avoid costs like additional mortgage and utility payments

Takeaway: Whether buying or selling a home, pricing can be tricky. Market experts can help you navigate the best-possible pricing strategies and secure the home you want within your budget.

2. An Effective Time Manager: The average agent may not utilize the latest tools and technology to make the transaction more accessible and cost-effective. Market experts have tools and strategies at their disposal to minimize the amount of time you spend on the process. 

For sellers, they can also ensure you only deal with qualified buyers, not "window shoppers" who waste your time. For buyers, a market expert knows how to prioritize your needs and wants to find you the ideal home within your budget without wasting your time on houses that aren't fit or are likely to turn up major issues in an inspection.

Takeaway: Even a well-intentioned agent may not have the skills, tools, or technology to make the experience easy for you. Many hidden activities may take up unexpected time, and a market expert will save you time and energy.

3. Most agents can pull market stats about a neighborhood, community, or city but may not understand significant trends or developments affecting your transaction. Market experts live and breathe local real estate and know the trigger points for buying and selling in your market. We also stay current on effective marketing and negotiation practices, resulting in our track record of success.

Takeaway: An experienced real estate agent is often the best source of information about a city, neighborhood, or even street; we're conducting market research every day.

4. Amazing agents set themselves apart in their negotiating ability. Real estate negotiations take skill, experience, and a knowledge of fighting for your client's best interests. While any agent can enter negotiations to buy or sell a home, experienced Realtors understand what to do before entering negotiations (establishing the upper hand) and during the process (when to offer or accept concessions) to set up the best outcome.

Takeaway: Working with a market expert will help ensure you get the best deal on your terms, not just the fastest deal.

5. Closing a deal fast is often good. However, top real estate professionals know how to achieve your real estate goals quickly and correctly to avoid pitfalls. Like negotiations, the paperwork and closing of a real estate transaction are complicated. Market experts understand the contracts, timelines, clauses, and contingencies within the closing process.

Takeaway: Real estate transactions often involve a significant investment, so even a tiny mistake can mean serious trouble. With that in mind, working with a true market expert is best.

FIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT

Interviewing several agents before selecting one is always a good idea. However, knowing what to ask in the interview can be challenging. Here are some questions that can help you qualify the best agent to help you achieve your real estate goals:

1. Can you send me some information about yourself? Look for professionalism and consistency. What are their accomplishments? See how they approach their work. Ask about their team's dynamic and actions if they're a newer agent.

2. How long have you been in real estate? While longevity is necessary, the number of transactions they close or are involved in is even more telling. So feel free to ask: "How many homes have you sold in this area?"

3. What will you do to keep me informed? Will the agent be able to meet your expectations? First, determine how much communication you want, and then find an agent who will give you the attention and time you deserve.

4. Can you provide me with further resources I may need? From market reports and pricing trends to school performance and crime statistics, top agents should have resources or know where to find them.

5. Seller only: Can you share your plan to market my property? Many agents will put your home in the MLS and wait for it to sell. An excellent agent should have a detailed plan of how to get your home exposure on social media, to their local networks, and more.

GET STARTED

Now that you're armed with the Five Attributes of Amazing Agents and the Top Questions to ensure you work with the best possible real estate agent, you're ready to start interviewing agents. 

Related Article: 5 Questions to Ask Your Real Estate Agent

We'd love an opportunity to win your business. Schedule a free consultation today to discover how true market experts can help you achieve your real estate goals!