So you are ready to buy a home. Or perhaps you are selling. It might be your first home or you may be moving from a condominium to a single family residence. There are many things to take into consideration when selecting a Realtor to help you buy or sell a home. The first thought may be to turn to family or friends. If one of your friends or relatives has a real estate license, they’ve surely made it clear that they would like the job. But is that the best solution for you?
You should select a real estate agent the same way you would choose any other professional service provider. A friend or family member should understand that they would need to compete like any other Realtor to obtain your listing or help you find that new home. Also be forewarned, you could end up ruining a relationship if things don’t turn out the way you hope.
There is a Realtor that lives in your neighborhood. Knowledge of your neighborhood or the neighborhood in which you are looking to purchase is important, however you need to find an agent with knowledge of the recent sales, the schools, the businesses and factors important to you. If they’re helping you buy a new home, they’ll need to know how to identify your needs and find homes that meet those needs. If you are selling your home they will need to find buyers that are looking for a home with the features of yours in a neighborhood like yours.
Which is better, a Realtor that works for a large real estate company, or someone independent? Large companies have certain advantages. They are able to stay open longer because they have more staff. This makes it more likely that they’ll be there to answer phone calls from home buyers inquiring about your house. They have larger budgets so they can run more ads. They also usually offer ongoing training for their agents to keep up with market trends.
You find an agent who will take the lowest commission. Sure you want to save money but is the lowest priced always the best? You’ve heard that you get what you pay for. A cut rate service will put your home in the MLS and post a sign in your yard, but is that enough? You want to get your home sold quickly and for the best price. And it’s going to take some legwork to find the right new home.
Many people have a price in mind that they’d like to get for the home they’re selling. They hire the Realtor that agrees that their house is worth that price. That doesn’t mean that there’s a buyer who will be willing to pay it. They are buying your listing. New listings get the most attention. Your home will be viewed by lots of potential buyers if it is priced properly. If it is priced too high, no one will bother to show it to their clients. Many sellers who start out too high drop their listing price later. Buyers and their agents see that as a sign of desperation and you may get lower offers than you would have if your home had been priced competitively when it first went on the market.
Conversely, as a buyer, you don’t want an agent that will show you homes that are way out of your reach. Some agents will focus in on your price range only and show you homes that are less expensive. Others will show you homes that are out of your reach in the hope that you will stretch a little financially to make it work. A good Realtor will listen to you and work on your behalf. To paraphrase and old saying, “They should use their two ears twice as much as their one mouth”.
The best agent for you is the agent who will do the best job of finding a home that meets your needs. That doesn’t mean that the perfect home is available at a low price. It just means that they will listen to you and find the best available home. If you are selling your home, the Realtor’s ability to market it and negotiate the best combination of price and terms is what matters. The common denominator here is a Realtor with good communications skills and a thorough knowledge of the local real estate market. The selection of a good real estate agents is one of the most important factors in the success of your sale of your old home and the purchase of a new one.
Whether you’re buying a new home in Chula Vista or Des Moines, selecting a good Realtor is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. The right real estate agent can help you with everything from locating the right house to negotiating the price, from finding a home mortgage lender to getting the sale closed.
|
|