Finding a good real estate agent.

New to the real estate business? Buying or selling a property is a difficult job, add to it an incompetent real estate agent – Nothing but a disaster in waiting!

An experienced professional who will listen to you, conduct business in an ethical manner and knows your market can come close to being perfect for you. But finding someone like that is a big challenge! There are many things you can do to accurately assess a real estate agent’s past performance and potential success with your property. Even if you are a buyer or the seller, you should find out more about your agent before you hire.

What to look for in an agent?

A clear interest in meeting your needs should be the first priority of the ideal realtor. They should have the ability to meet your actual requirements & not impose their own. Positive word or mouth and references from previous clients can help you a lot in selecting the right realtor. He should have a thorough knowledge of the area in which you’re selling or buying your property & the price bracket you’re likely to sell in. He should also have a commitment to frank, realistic opinion about the market and your situation.

Here we’ll discuss the ways to go about looking for an agent and what to look out for before signing a listing contract.

1. Do some research!

Ask your friends and/or family members if they’ve recently sold or purchased a home or if they have any agent to recommend. With this approach you can make sure someone whom you trust has already had the opportunity to see the agent in action. Ask agents to provide a list of what they’ve listed and sold in the past year, with contact information of clients. It helps to call up these clients and get a report of the agent. Also if you’re the seller, ask if these past properties are similar to yours in price, location and other salient features.

Search Online for Agent Listings

Google the top real estate companies in your area, check through those websites and look up profiles of individual agents at offices near you. Explore their website, blog and any reviews or recommendations from clients.

See how the agent’s listings show up in searches. All listings from small to big should have professional photos while listing in today’s market – The first sign of a professional real estate agent who understands today’s market!

Check out the experience

Ask around! You can often find out how long the agent has been selling real estate. You should also look for someone who is actively engaged in a particular area and price range. Make sure the agent has closed many properties and has worked a few years at least – the more closings, the more experience!

See for yourself how respected is the brokerage/agent.  You may want an agent who will network and work cooperatively with people. Seasoned agents tend to do exactly this and have good working relationships which tend to transform into good transactions!

A Web Savvy agent

A real estate agent in today’s world must be web savvy. Most research on properties is nowadays done online.  Great agents have moved with the times and use mobile technology to their advantage.

Interview several agents

It’s best to interview several agents before deciding on one to buy or sell your property.  Remember though, they may try to sell you a dream partnership. Make sure you want hire a realistic real estate agent. Don’t sign a buyers’ agreement form before looking at a property.

Here’re some questions to ask your realtor:

• How long have you been in business? How many deals did you close last year?
• Can you explain the buying or selling process?
• What neighborhoods do you specialize in?
• What price range do you usually work in?
• Can you provide me with a list of references?
• How to reach you if I have found a property to buy?
• How often should I expect to hear from you while I am looking for a property?
• Will you be able to give me advice about how to increase the value of my property?