Are you looking to buy a home? Don’t get about it alone and hire yourself a great Realtor. Here are five tips to help you choose a great real estate agent.
1. Make it a business decision
If you are looking to buy a home then you might be working with this person closely for several months. Hire a professional that is knowledgeable, hard working, ethical and experienced. Buying a home is a large undertaking. This may be the largest transaction in your life so hire someone that knows what they are doing. Your niece may have her real estate license but that does not mean she is your best option. Poke around the internet and do checking on various Realtors.
2. Ask for a referral
You probably have a friend or relative that can recommend a good Realtor. Ask around for names. Chances are you can find the name of someone good to use or even someone not to use.
3. Interview
Most real estate agents hate this tip. Call up a few Realtors and tell them that you are looking to buy a home. Either interview them on the telephone or go meet them in their office. Tell them your goals and expectations. Ask about their background and how much experience they have with buyers.
4. Is the biggest producer the best?
Rock star agents are good agents for a reason. They run a good real estate business. Just because they sell the most real estate does not mean that they provide the best service. Interview a rock star agent and Joe/Jane average and compare them.
5. Should you hire a specialist?
Some agents only work certain segments of the market or geographic locations. For example, there are several Realtors that only work Longboat Key and never go off the island. If you are looking to buy a home in Lakewood Ranch you may not want to work with one of these agents. They are fantastic agents that provide great service but they just don’t work certain areas or neighborhoods. I get calls for people wanting to buy in North Port periodically however I do not know that market well and will recommend another agent that does work that market.
Hopefully, you will find these five tips helpful. Buying a home is usually a pretty big deal. You can run with a novice Realtor and that is fine. However, there might be situations or problems that arise where working with an experienced agent pays off.
