You may be planning to sell your home or purchase a new home. In any event, you’re probably looking for a great real estate agent.
Realtor, Real Estate Agent – is there an improvement?
There are Realtors� and you can find real estate agents. These are not synonymous terms. A real estate agent is licensed to “represent a buyer or perhaps a seller in a real estate transaction in exchange for commission.”Realtors typically work for a genuine estate broker or Realtor.
A Realtor also is licensed and may sell property as either an agent or perhaps a broker. There are completely ethical realtors and Realtor�. The principal difference is a Realtor has made an additional commitment to honor the 17-article code and profession of the real estate business.
The search plus some questions
Looking for a great agent means that you may be asking questions, so let’s start building your list of questions:
Referrals: ask friends and family, colleagues, and relatives for referrals. Most people who have had a positive experience working with an agent will gladly describe their experience and just why they feel their agent was exceptional.
Referrals from professionals: that is definitely appropriate to ask real estate agents for referrals. Financial institution representatives, especially mortgage brokers, will tend to be aware of exceptional agents.
Open houses: going to open houses is a great, non-threatening way to meet estate agents. Focus on the agent’s manners and appearance, his/her professionalism, and the grade of promotional material provided at the open house. Does the agent seem knowledgeable about the property and the neighborhood market? Is the agent ready to explain the home’s features, or does he basically ignore visitors?
Once you have a generally favorable impression of an agent, be sure to collect a small business card and make notes of your observations.
References: plan to interview several agents before making a decision and signing a buyer’s agreement. Through the interview, ask each candidate to provide referrals of recent clients and call those referrals.
On the list of questions to ask are what were the asking and prices of their properties, and just how long the home was that you can buy?
Take time to research the estate board of licensing services to confirm that the candidate is currently licensed and whether any complaints or disciplinary actions have already been filed against the agent.
Experience: how long gets the agent been in business? You should be looking for the agent who thoroughly knows the local market in which you are selling or planning to buy your home. It takes time and energy to build expertise and market knowledge. One agent recommends that any viable candidate must have at least five years’ experience.
Is home maintenance – or part-time? You should expect, and ask for, a complete time agent.
Next steps
When evaluating the qualifications of estate agents, look at their websites and current listings. Your future agent should be web and technology savvy, using all current media to help you find your perfect home or sell your current one. The agent should also be able to communicate reliably and regularly using the form(s) of contact you like – fax, phone, text, or e-mail.
Ideally, your prospective agent is busy but not too busy to effectively represent you. In the event that you feel that the candidate is not focused on giving your sale or purchase full and enthusiastic service, or is prepared to hand you over to an “assistant”, move o