The perfect realtor is something a little different for everyone, but one trait that all great realtors possess is professionalism. Whenever you are paying as much as six percent commission on your home sale, you want the advice of your realtor to be good, and your representation even better. Great realtors know how to price, market and sell your property in the shortest time possible. But how do you find them?
Today, you will find a wide variety of real estate professionals in any given area. Chances are, you might already know a few realtors within your social circle. However, just because you know a realtor, does not make that person the right realtor for you. In order to find the perfect realtor for you, focus on these three things:
No. 1: Avoid Part Time Agents
Part time agents are everywhere, however, no part time agent will be able to provide the same level of service, expert knowledge and quality information that a full time agent can. Part time agents must first finish their day job before they are able to attend to your needs, take your phone calls and focus on your transaction. You need a full time agent, not a hobbyist.
No. 2: Call Around
Call a few brokerages that are close to your home. Ask for the names of their top three producers, specific to your neighborhood. Repeat this process a few times, and then begin calling agents to ask them for an interview. This is important because most agents specialize in areas near their offices, making proximity important. However, if you want a non-biased opinion when it comes to the top producing local agents, some local realtor boards will provide those to you. Contact your local board of realtors. Ask them which realtors sold the most homes in your area in the last year. Remember, 20 percent of the agents do 80 percent of the work.
No. 3: Personality Mesh
You should interview less than three realtors before making a decision. Select your realtor based on his or her marketing plan for your house, their knowledge of your neighborhood and also how well their personality meshes with yours. Real estate transactions are prone to complexity where emotions often run high. Having someone in your corner who has a personality similar to yours can help make the transaction feel easier.
Above all else, the perfect agent is going to be someone who isn’t afraid to give you straight talk about where to price your home and what it’s going to take to sell – even if that isn’t what you want to hear. The better you do your homework on what it takes to sell a home in your area, the easier it will be for you to select a realtor who can fit the bill, which for you, is the perfect realtor.