If you’ve never purchased a home before, it’s essential to understand the ins and outs of how to buy a home, which is why one of your first steps should be finding an excellent realtor. Ask friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors if they can recommend a realtor they’ve worked within the past – real estate agents typically get as much as 30% of their business from referrals.
Once you have a list of potential real estate agents, you’ll want to vet them personally to ensure the best fit possible.
Experience
While experience doesn’t always equal success, it can be a good indicator of the agent’s ability, as the industry is commission-based. This means it would be nearly impossible for a realtor to survive in real estate providing bad service. Consider not just the total number of years they’ve worked in real estate, but how long they’ve worked in a particular city or neighborhood you’ll be buying in. Even better is a realtor who lives in that area, as they’ll not only understand the pros and cons of the neighborhood but the people who reside there.
Contacts and Connections
In real estate, often, it’s all about who you know. Your real estate agent should have lots of connections that can help with your housing needs, such as builders, contractors, title companies, and mortgage lenders. Any experienced agent will have developed trusted relationships with vendors over a long period, which means he or she should be able to refer you to multiple sources so you can determine who works best for you. Having professionals readily available makes the entire process much smoother.
Good and Prompt Communication
When interviewing real estate agents, pay close attention to how they communicate – it’s vital that you understand each other and that the realtor listens carefully to what you have to say. This is also the time to set expectations, such as how often you’ll be updated, and the best methods of communication to use. After an initial meeting, you might send a follow-up email to ask a question to get an idea as to how quickly they’ll respond.
Availability
You might have to look at dozens of houses before you find the right one to buy, so you’ll want an agent who will be available to show them to you when it’s convenient. If the realtor is working this as a side job, they probably won’t be able to meet your needs.
The Right Personal Fit
Not only should the realtor have experience and top-notch communication skills, but you should feel comfortable with them personally. It’s important to work with someone you like and can be open with and who will be honest with you too. This is a significant financial commitment, which means there must be compassion and understanding – choose an agent who understands what you want and is willing to put your needs first.
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