The perfect real estate agent isn’t always the one who has the most experience in the field (although this is a good requirement), or the one who boasts the most sales, the perfect real estate agent is the one who will listen to you, the one who is very easy to get along with, and more importantly the one who has the skills and tools and expertise needed to address your situation as an individual, not as just another home buyer.
Home buyers are very different. There are those who are struggling with credit issues. There are those who will need assistance selling their existing property as well as buying a new one. There are those who are buying a property from outside a state. In other words, the same way buyers have different needs and requirements; the real estate agents too possess different skills and have different specialties. So how exactly do you find that perfect real estate agent?
Consult multiple real estate agents – never settle with the first agent that comes your way. Talk to several of them. This does not mean wearing yourself out interviewing one agent after another, it means talking to at least 3 or 4 so you can see who you are most comfortable with.
Read the paperwork cautiously – you will find this advice used a lot on almost all resources talking about how to choose a real estate agent, but not without a reason. It is important that you scrutinize all documents when buying a home, including the agent agreement. Ensure you know exactly what you are getting yourself into before appending your signature.
Consider the social factor – while professional expertise and experience are great factors to consider when choosing a real estate agent, their interpersonal skills are equally very important. Remember you will be working with this agent for around 2-12 months, thus it helps to really get someone who you can get along with well. While we all have our distinctive personalities and stuff, when interacting with someone professionally, it will really go along way if their personality ‘blends’ well with yours.
Get referrals from friends and family – who else could know you more than your family and friends? So, the people close to you are always in the best position to recommend someone they feel is well-suited for you. Besides, you can always trust a referral from a close someone than that that comes from a stranger.
Inquire how they search for homes – when choosing a real estate agent, you want to know how they really go out looking for the homes. Each person will have their preferred listings but you as an individual want what is best for you and not what is best for them. Because by the end of the day it is you who will end up sealing the deal, you should ensure the agent is willing to go as per your orders. They should be willing to search low and high to get the best homes for you which could include their personal networks and MSLs.
