The advertising hype around real estate agents makes it difficult for anyone seeking to buy or sell a home to find the right agent. Real estate agents use varied promotion methods like yard signs, online ads, direct-mail postcards, and sponsored public benches. Finding a real estate agent with such hype can be challenging.
To help you find the best real estate agent, we have enlisted some tips that you can consider.
TALK WITH THE AGENT’S RECENT CLIENTS
It would help if you asked your would-be agent to provide a list of his listings containing information about what they have sold in the past year, with the client’s contact information. This way, you can talk to their clients to get a direct review of the realtor’s service. If you are selling a property, ask whether the previous properties were similar in price, location, and other key features. You want someone who specializes in what you’re selling. Your realtor should have prior experience in dealing with properties similar to yours.
LICENSES & QUALIFICATIONS
Real estate agents require some licenses and discipline regulated by the state. Before hiring a Realtor, you should check with your state’s regulatory body to determine whether the agent you consider is licensed or has any disciplinary actions or complaints. This keeps you safe and provides some transparency regarding the real estate agent.
CREDENTIALS
Like any other professional, real estate agents also require additional training in particular areas and technical and theoretical knowledge. The alphabet soup after an agent’s name can indicate that the agent has taken classes in a certain area of real estate sales. It would help if you knew about that and considered hiring an agent.
EXPERIENCE
Your realtor should be an experienced person. Your real estate agent should at least have 7-8 years of experience. You can know the duration your realtors are in business through the state licensing authority. You can even ask the agent directly.
CURRENT LISTINGS
Do check out the agent’s current listings online to get an insight into the functioning of their business. You can browse through the real estate agent’s website or go on websites that contain information about several realtors, offering a searchable online database of properties in the multiple listing service. Observe how closely the agent’s listings mirror the property you want to buy or sell. They should also be in the same area and within a similar price range. The number of real estate agent listings indicates whether or not it has a healthy business, and you should pay attention to it.
TEST THE AGENT’S KNOWLEDGE
Do not hesitate to try to test the knowledge of your realtor. A good agent should know about other properties available in the area. That way, the real estate agent can give you a few details about the property, which would certainly be helpful to you.