What Does Your Agent Provide?
It's no secret that real estate agents are a dime a dozen. Chances are that somebody you already know has their
real estate license...maybe a colleague who does real estate on the side, a neighbor living down the street from you, or perhaps even a cousin of yours that mentioned they got their license when you saw him or her at the last family reunion.
But what does said agent provide for you?
In a world where life is becoming more expensive and fast-paced, realtors are often looking only for leads that are ready to buy NOW and don't want to put the work into planting seeds along the way and watching the fruits of their labor flourish over time. This is a service industry and realtors can only expect to be profitable by building a positive reputation for themselves. They must provide clients with first-class knowledge of the market, be accessible by working around your schedule, and most-notably they must be focused on getting you the best deal out there by possessing strong negotiation skills.
People typically purchase a house only 3 to 4 times in their lives. Getting the right deal isn't always easy...
This can be a very stressful time for a family. You first have to find a house that you fall in love with and see yourself living in. In many cases, you and the home you are interested in need to qualify for financing, which can be a hectic experience, especially if it's your first time. Then you will need to make an offer and hope it gets accepted. Once accepted, you'll need to go through an inspection period, appraisal, etc. and hope everything checks out before you can finally close the deal. A solid realtor will make this highly stressful experience as smooth as possible for their client and provide them with full disclosure. As a real estate agent, there are certain fiduciary responsibilities that an agent must provide to their client. These responsibilities include but are not limited to, full disclosure of the property, prompt delivery of funds to the broker and escrow accounts, and much more. Finding an agent that takes these responsibilities seriously is key to having a successful purchase of a home.
Where to find your realtor..
You can very easily post on social media stating that you are looking for a realtor and you will likely get multiple responses like "my aunt is a realtor" or "I can help, I'll DM you right now!!", etc. but is this really the best way to find the right agent? A realtor is an expert in a specific market. Any agent that says he or she does every type of real estate transaction is just showing their inexperience in mastering a specific market. All successful agents specialize in one or two markets and sticks to their strengths. As a buyer, you should identify what area you want to live in and visit the local parks and neighborhood and even talk to the locals in the area to form a list of several realtors that are popular there.
Tips...
Word of mouth is the most sure and secure way of acquiring a good realtor that is going to work in your best interest to get you the best deal available. A piece of advise that all buyers/sellers should have when looking for an agent is to look for experience, communication skills and identify each agent's strengths and weaknesses, and don't allow yourself to fall into a figurative pool of hungry sharks...stay reserved and choose wisely during this emotional and significant financial process as great deals don't last long and your agent needs to be "on the ball" to get you that deal. Home buyers and sellers often use apps or websites like HomeLight to connect them with a local agent.
A Strong Agent
- Performs market analysis
- Looks to provide a service
- Is accessible
- Keeps up-to-date knowledge of the local area
- Is a negotiator and has great communication skills
- Prompt in delivering funds
- Thorough contract creator
- Meticulous and well prepared for the task
- Personable
- Great at building long-lasting relationships