If you are planning on a move that will involve selling and/or buying a home, choosing the right people to help you through the process is essential. You don’t want to just go online, or use the Yellow Pages to choose a realtor or real estate agent. This is going to be a very important relationship, and you want to be sure you get it right.
“For Sale by Owner” is an option that will save you a commission fee, certainly, but it can be fraught with perils and pitfalls. Also, it can be incredibly time-consuming. Once you add up all the incidental costs of doing it yourself, and value your time as well, you will probably not end up much better, if at all, off than if you had used a real estate company. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at how to find the right realtor or agent.
Now, you are probably wondering what your gut feelings could possibly have to do with what is going to be essentially a financial transaction. The fact is, though, you may like and feel good about someone right from the beginning, or you could dislike them immediately. You don’t have to explain this to yourself or to anyone else, and you don’t have to have a reason for your reaction. Usually, if something seems off, it probably is, so thank them politely for their time, and find someone else.
A good realtor or agent will be more interested in getting you the best price for your home if you are selling, or finding you just the right home if you are buying, than they will in getting a quick commission or unloading that white elephant that’s been plaguing them. They know that a satisfied client is their best form of advertising – if you are happy with them, you will recommend them to others. It won’t matter if you are on the selling end of the equation, or the buying end – a good representative will ask you tons of questions. A selling agent will want to know everything about your home. A buying agent will want to know everything about you – how many kids you have, what kind of neighborhood you’re looking for, whether you’re a country mouse or a city mouse, and so on.
A good realtor or agent will also answer any questions you have, and if they don’t have the answers right away, they’ll be up front about that. Then they’ll get you the answers. If you feel as though your questions are being brushed off, then you’re definitely not dealing with the right person.
Anyone at all can list your house for you. And anyone at all can show you a house. What you want is someone who makes it very clear that they are working for you – they are on your side.
You may think that you have found the ideal realtor or agent, but circumstances can change. Realtors and agents are people just like everyone else, and what starts out just right can sometimes take a turn for the worse. Perhaps the realtor or agent has something going on in their personal life that is causing them to fall down on giving you the service you want and expect. If at any point you feel that the relationship is no longer working for you, then you definitely have the right to part ways and go elsewhere. So, review your situation from time to time, and if it is no longer satisfactory, move on.
Conclusion
Knowing what to look for in a realtor or real estate agent can go a long way toward ensuring that you get it right on the first try. The right person can help you find your dream home, and also get you top dollar for the home you are selling.
