What to Look for in a Realtor
When you are looking to buy or sell a home, you definitely are going to want to think about having someone in your corner during the entire process.
No, we are not talking about having the emotional and moral support of your family and friends (though that definitely helps), we are actually talking about having a trained professional in your corner in the form of a real estate agent.
Whether you are buying or selling, there is absolutely no doubt that you are going to want to strongly consider working with a realtor near me to help guide you through ups and down of the entire process of buying or selling a home.
With that being said, there are some definite things that you are going to want to look out for when it comes to picking the exact realtor that you end up working with and depending on.
To help you make a great decision when it comes to this, we’ve broken down some of the most important things to look out for.
Lots of knowledge of the local market
You are going to want to make sure that the realtor you decide to work with has years upon years of experience working within the market that you are planning on selling or buying a home within. This is especially true – and vitally important – if you are moving from one city or state to another. If you are not familiar with specific neighborhoods, market trends, school districts, etc. you are going to want to make sure that you have someone in your corner who knows all that and more.
Top references
Another really important thing to look out for is that the realtor that you are thinking of working with has really strong references from previous clients. Before you sign on to work with a specific realtor, make sure to ask them for the contact information of multiple recent clients. Then it is your job to do your due diligence, contact them and ask them great questions that will give you a solid idea of what exactly you can expect when it comes to working with the realtor in question.
Remember, if a realtor does not offer references, it is either because they do not have enough experience or are simply not good at what they do, so steer clear!
Reasonable fees and terms
Before you sign anything, make sure that the fees and the commission that the realtor makes on the sale are reasonable and consistent with their competitors. Keep in mind that the typical commission rate for realtors hovers around five or six percent. Anything beyond that should not be considered. On top of that, make sure to look at the terms. Aim to find an agent with a contract length that is either 90 days or less or 180 days or less. Anything beyond that and you will likely start to feel locked into a contract when you may want to start considering other realtor options if you are either struggling to sell your home or struggling to find the right home for you and your family to purchase!
