5 Tips: How to Shop For Your Realtor
How about some bookmark love? ::
This post isn't about how to buy me gifts. I'll have to tackle that another time.
I just wanted to give some helpful tips for choosing your Real Estate Agent.
While it is true that most agents are dying to work to sell you a house, not all are equal in that effort.
1) Pick an agent whose ethos is to WORK FOR YOU. Simply stated, you don't want an agent who is going AT YOU. Though it is the agent's job to perhaps stretch the boundaries of your market knowledge in order to get you a well rounded understanding of what is available.
2) Interview them for their job while you're out at open houses. Most folks looking for an agent want someone who knows the market well, test your agents market knowledge by asking a few questions about the area, or the comps.
3) Press for the "insider information". Agents are sometimes unwilling to share the inside information unless they can properly brand it, or market it to you. This fear stems from the problem that if they let you drive by a listing, or give you some marketing information that isn't direct from the MLS, that you will run off and contact another agent. Put the agent at ease and let them be your employee, they will happily provide you with the freshest market information, and new listings without fear.
4) Tell them what you are looking for, and see what they give you in return. If you want a 4 bedroom home with a large lot, see how many they can provide you in short order. If they don't have a couple in mind, it is ok, they may be focused on a different "band" of the market. Most agents will have you in mind before they see the new listings, or when they preview new listings.
5) Look for a matching personality. If an agent is talking your ear off, but not giving any real information, fire them.
I just wanted to give some helpful tips for choosing your Real Estate Agent.
While it is true that most agents are dying to work to sell you a house, not all are equal in that effort.
1) Pick an agent whose ethos is to WORK FOR YOU. Simply stated, you don't want an agent who is going AT YOU. Though it is the agent's job to perhaps stretch the boundaries of your market knowledge in order to get you a well rounded understanding of what is available.
2) Interview them for their job while you're out at open houses. Most folks looking for an agent want someone who knows the market well, test your agents market knowledge by asking a few questions about the area, or the comps.
3) Press for the "insider information". Agents are sometimes unwilling to share the inside information unless they can properly brand it, or market it to you. This fear stems from the problem that if they let you drive by a listing, or give you some marketing information that isn't direct from the MLS, that you will run off and contact another agent. Put the agent at ease and let them be your employee, they will happily provide you with the freshest market information, and new listings without fear.
4) Tell them what you are looking for, and see what they give you in return. If you want a 4 bedroom home with a large lot, see how many they can provide you in short order. If they don't have a couple in mind, it is ok, they may be focused on a different "band" of the market. Most agents will have you in mind before they see the new listings, or when they preview new listings.
5) Look for a matching personality. If an agent is talking your ear off, but not giving any real information, fire them.
I think your second point may be the best . . . by testing a real estate agent at an open house, you can really see how they will act at your open house. Great idea!jos
Posted by
Joshua Dorkin |
5:37 PM