Choosing a Realtor

Buying a home is a huge decision and you want to know that you have a team of experts who are working toward your end goal in your corner. When you begin the process of finding a realtor, ask around and see who your friends, family, co-workers, etc have used. It’s always nice to know someone who has had success with the realtor.  Whether you’re a first time home buyer or a seasoned veteran, you should consider this checklist of before choosing a realtor.

 

1. Ask your realtor how long they have been in working in real estate. While this isn’t an immediate deterrent, you’ll want to know if you’re dealing with someone right out of the gate.
2. Does your realtor work on a team? If so, who can you expect to be communicating with in their absence?
3. Does your realtor specialize in a specific area of town?
4. Does your realtor have a list of preferred vendors that you should be working with such as: lender, staging (if you’re selling too), appraiser, inspector, etc.
5. What kind of communication does your realtor prefer? Do they prefer email versus calls or texts?
6. If you’re an investor, you may be looking for realtors with that specific knowledge and experience, ask if they have any experience finding investment properties.
7. Don’t be afraid to ask for a few references from previous clients if you want to get first hand knowledge of the realtor’s experience.

 

Lastly, choosing a realtor is like anything else, you want to make sure that the chemistry is right. Be sure to meet with him or her beforehand to check on that.  Sometimes the process can take a long time and if you don’t like the way your realtor communicates or something, it could be a painful process. To that end, even if you’ve already chosen your realtor and have already begun the process, don’t be afraid to speak up if you don’t like what they’re doing (or what they’re not doing). This is, for many people, the biggest purchase of your life, now is not the time to keep quiet.