Thinking
of buying or selling soon? Here are a few tips to think about before selecting
which realtor you want to work both with and for you.
Tip
1: Talk with a few of the agents clients, both past and current. As a buyer you
should talk with buyers he or she has worked with or is working with. Ask about
what they enjoyed and didn't enjoy in the transaction. Sellers should ask
previous clients what the asking price was compared to the selling price, how long
was it on the market, and is the property similar to yours. Both buyers and
sellers should be asking if it was a smooth process and did the agent keep them
well informed throughout the process.
Tip
2: How long has the agent and agency been in business? Someone who has been in
the business a long time probably has experience, many contacts that can assist
in the transaction, and the respect of other agents in the area. Not that you
need to have all the experience, because as realtors we are always there to
assist other realtors. However, an agent who is relatively new might be
learning on you and that's not a good thing.
Tip
3: Talk to more than one agent, preferably three. Sellers should get an opinion
from each of them as to what they think the property is worth. All three values
should be fairly similar. If one is considerably higher than the other two,
beware of that one because it might be an attempt to attract your business. Buyers
should ask the agents about the different types of financing programs they have
used recently, what programs would they recommend for you, and why. Some of the
common programs are FHA, VA, RD, MESHA, Conventional Insured, Conventional, and
there is even a Doctor Loan offered through Bank of America.
Tip
4: How many clients are they working with right now and how will that effect
the time they have to devote to working for you? You don't want an agent that
has too many clients and time is stretched too thin. This can also be true if
the agent is working a different full-time job other than real estate. You want
an agent who is not only capable, they need to be available as well.
Tip
5: What is the agents success and satisfaction rate? How many clients did they
successfully help and how many did they not help? An agent can list 60 plus
homes, but if he only sells 20, you might want to think about the agent that
listed 21 homes and sold all of them.