Introduction
When you’re selling your home, it’s important to have an agent who’s experienced, responsive and trustworthy like this Ash Marton Realty. But with so many real estate agents in any given city, how do you choose the right one for your needs? Here are some things to look for when hiring a real estate agent:
Hire a Full-Time Agent
If you’re looking for an agent who will be dedicated to your needs, a full-time real estate professional is the way to go. Full-time agents have more experience and knowledge about their market, which means they can help you find a home that fits your needs perfectly.
Full-time agents are also likely to be motivated by their careers and want to help you find a house as quickly as possible (because they know how long it takes!).
Meet With a Few Prospects
Before you begin the process of finding an agent, it’s important to make sure that you are going to be able to work well with them. One way to do this is by meeting with a few agents and asking them questions about their experience, specialty area, marketing plan, and negotiation skills. By doing this, you will have a better idea if they are right for your needs or not.
Some questions that can help determine if an agent is right for your needs are as follows:
- What does your experience as an agent look like? How long have you been in the business?
- What is your specialty area? Is it single-family homes or apartments?
- Do you have any marketing plans in place other than just online listings on Zillow or Trulia? Do some research into the tools they use and see how professional they look from the outside (people love pictures). Make sure that there aren’t any spelling errors on these sites before deciding whether or not this person would be someone worth hiring! You want someone who has good communication skills because it shows how important customer service is when selling/buying property!
- How much experience do they have negotiating deals with buyers/sellers as well as other real estate agents during closings (closing ratio)?
Look at Listings
The first place to start is by looking at the listings that an agent has put out. You can learn a lot from the homes they have listed and how they present them. What is their style? Are the photos well-lit and staged? How are the descriptions? Is it clear what’s for sale and what isn’t? Is there any information missing, or do you feel like you’re being left in the dark about something important (like square footage, etc.)?
Also, look at how long they’ve been around: If they’ve been in business for 15 years, chances are good that they know what they’re doing! And think about getting referrals from friends with similar needs as yours; maybe someone will have some helpful advice on who would be a good match for your situation.
Understand Their Experience
When you are interviewing agents, pay attention to their experience. The more time an agent has spent in the real estate industry, the better. Before making a decision about which agent to use, ask them how long they have been selling houses. Then, ask them what types of homes they have sold and how many homes they have sold during that period. You may also want to know what their average selling price or listing price was for these properties.
If someone tells you they were only an agent for two months but have already sold 10 houses since then (or vice versa), this could be cause for concern: either your potential agent hasn’t been doing it very long and is likely not yet very good at it, or else she’s had some extremely lucky breaks—but neither scenario bodes well for your chances at success with her services!
A good rule of thumb is this: if someone tells you their average sales price per property is $100k when most houses in your area sell for around $200k on average (or vice versa), there may be something fishy going on!
Consider Specialty Training
If you have a specific need, such as finding a home in the suburbs of an urban area or purchasing a property that needs renovation and updating, it may be worth considering an agent who specializes in those types of properties. While not every agent will be able to help you find exactly what you’re looking for, some might have enough experience in one area or another to make them better suited than others. For example, agents who specialize in new construction may be able to give you advice on choosing materials and fixtures that will age well over time.
Choose an Agent Who Responds Quickly
When shopping for a real estate agent, it’s important to see how quickly they respond to your request. You can do this by asking them for the average response time of their last 10 deals and then looking up their listings on Zillow or Redfin. If you want a more scientific approach, you can use something like Google Docs’ built-in average function, that shows how long agents typically take from when they start working with clients until a house is sold:
- Importance of response time
Speed matters! A study by Texas A&M University found that homes listed with fast-responding agents sold faster than those listed with slow-responding ones. Homes listed in 90 days or less sold three times as fast as those listed for over six months!
Finding the right agent can help you get your home sold.
Your real estate agent should be someone you can trust, who knows your market and has experience with the type of property that you’re trying to sell. You’ll also want an agent with a good reputation in your area and a track record of successful sales.
Conclusion
If you’re trying to buy or sell a home, it’s worth taking the time to find an agent who will work hard for you. A good real estate agent will help you understand all of your options and make sure that your needs are met throughout the process of selling or buying. The right agent can make all the difference when it comes to making sure your experience goes smoothly!
Photo by Alena Darmel: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-realtor-giving-a-family-a-house-tour-7642206/
