Whether buying or selling a house, finding a trustworthy realtor could be the most crucial decision. Hiring the first real estate agent you speak with may be tempting to save time and effort. On the other hand, a real estate agent has the power to make or ruin your home-buying or home-selling experience. Here are the ways to pick the right agent to help simplify the process and guide you through a smooth, successful home-selling experience.
Steps to get the Best Realtor
Table of Contents
Online Comparison
Look for various realtors online and examine their website, social media, reviews, and property listings. Also, you can read the reviews you might find about them. Take note of whatever favorable attributes are cited frequently and how the agent handles any bad feedback. Check for the top realtor company reviews such as Houzeo, Redfin, and Clever real estate reviews.
Check the background
Search for possible listing agents’ names in your state’s real estate licensing database to ensure that they are officially licensed. Check the current and prior listings on an agent’s website to determine whether they are familiar with your neighborhood and have sold similar houses. You can check the following details
- Experience of Minimum of 8 to 10 years
- Posses any of these certifications – ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative), SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist), CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), ASR (Accredited Seller Representative), ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative), Realtor
- The number of properties they’ve sold
- How recent were those listings were
Get referrals
Although word-of-mouth referrals are beneficial, not everyone who refers you to a listing agent has utilized that agency to sell a home. It isn’t very worthy if a reference can’t accurately express an agent’s job quality, communication style, or manner of treating clients and other individuals during a transaction.
Examine the local real estate market in person
If you have more time, drive or walk around your neighborhood looking for repeat agent names on real estate signs. You can go to a local open house and watch how the realtor interacts with possible buyers. Don’t just grab a business card and go without interacting with the real estate agent. An open house is where 7% of sellers locate their agents.
Interview at least three agents
While online research is extremely useful, speaking with a real estate agent is the best method to find one. You can acquire a sense of crucial qualitative attributes like honesty and friendliness through dialogue. Talk to at least three listing agents, preferably in person, to ensure they fit you well. You can start the interview by talking about the fundamentals of your home, such as:
- The precise location
- The number of square feet
- No. of rooms
Inquiries
Check the following lists and inquire about them in detail:
Comparable Listings
Comparables are the foundation for assessing the value of your home and calculating an asking price. A thorough comparative market analysis will show current listings and houses sold in the last three to six months similar in size and amenities to yours.
Full-time Listing Agent or not
It would be best to inquire about the length of time a possible listing agent has been selling real estate and the number of homes they’ve lately sold.
Home worth
Most agents will ask to walk around your house during or before a listing presentation to take notes and see what they’ll be working with. It also aids them in crunching figures and comparing them to comparables to give you an asking price that they believe is by market conditions and your objectives. You may have a figure in mind for your asking price, but your agent may not agree.
Agent’s selling technique
Ask the agent how they plan to promote your home, their expected timescales, and how they plan to hold open houses to discover out. You might also want to inquire about showing times and how to establish the optimal list price for your home.
To advertise your home, your agent should include the following:
- You can Post to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and distribute the listing on all major websites. You can use the best For sale by owner websites Houzeo to get Maximum exposure.
- Professionals photographs
- The property description by a professional
- Broker tours and open houses
- Signage
Explain how you prefer to communicate
Talk about how the agent will keep you updated and how frequently you should expect to hear from them. You may not be a good fit for each other if you prefer email, but the agent prefers phone calls. If you know you’ll have many questions and want quick answers, but the agent only delivers bi-weekly updates, you might want to look for someone who is a better match.
Commission Rate
The average real estate commission is around 6%, and the listing agency generally splits the commission with the buyer’s agent. Leave the commission question till last, but make sure you know how much you’ll pay for a real estate agent’s services and what’s included.
Determine why you want to sell
Make sure you’ve clarified any special restrictions for your house selling. Say them if you work on a tight schedule and have the actual bottom price in mind. Make sure to discuss these details with your agent right once to know what to expect.
Choose your best match
You’ve prepared a list of potential agents, conducted interviews with at least three of them, and inquired about the details with realtors. Remember that you’ll be working closely with this person, so comfort should play a role in your decision. So, Choose the person you can trust. Pick up the phone as soon as you’ve determined the listing agent you want to work with to sell your house. They’ll go over the contract with you and walk you through the next steps.
Conclusion
When it comes to selling your home, picking the appropriate real estate agent is crucial. Your choice will significantly impact the outcomes you achieve and the amount of money you earn. Consider selling your home yourself if you don’t want to work with an agent realtor (FSBO).
