If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, the first decision you will need to make is if you plan to go it alone or if you decide to hire a real estate agent. There are many reasons why it makes sense to have a licensed real estate professional on your side. We won’t get into them in this article, but stay tuned to The Cyr Team Blog for more helpful real estate tips and information.
Assuming you decide to hire a real estate agent, the next step is to determine who you want to work with. Selecting a Realtor® shouldn’t be about picking the first name you see on the nearest bus bench or shopping cart. It’s a decision that warrants a fair amount of thought and consideration. Hopefully, the tips below will help you in finding the real estate agent (or team) who is right for you.
1. Talk to More than One Agent
Again, don’t just work with the first real estate agent you meet. Look online. Talk to people you know and ask for referrals. Make sure you meet with at least three different agents or brokers before signing any contracts or listing agreements.
2. Interview the Agents
Remember that a Realtor® is working for you. You are paying them an agreed-upon commission to represent you throughout your home purchase or sale. Interview them like you would if you were hiring an employee or any other personal service provider. Ask questions that are important to you and take the time to understand how they operate.
3. Remember Not All Agents Are the Same
Just because someone holds a real estate license doesn’t mean they provide the same level of service as every other licensed agent. Every real estate agent, broker and team will have their own styles and personalities. Find someone who you connect with and who you trust.
4. Communication is Key
Some real estate professionals will just tell you what they think you want to hear. Others will tell it like it is. You may prefer things to be sugar-coated, or you may prefer hearing cold, hard facts and figures. Find a real estate agent who explains things in a way that is comfortable and understandable to you.
5. A Track Record Can Say a Lot
Real estate is a much more transparent business than it used to be thanks to the Internet, social media and other public information that is readily available if you wish to seek it out. You can really study an agent’s track record by seeing past sales figures, current inventory and reading customer reviews. This will help you narrow down the best agents before you even start scheduling appointments to meet them in person.
6. Meet Personally
Some remote buyers or sellers may not have this option, but local home buyers and sellers should always try to meet their agent in person at least once before signing on any dotted lines. Certain parts of the real estate transaction will ultimately take place through phone calls and emails, but an initial personal consultation will go a long way in helping you select the right real estate agent.
7. Find Someone Who Knows Your Market
Everyone has a friend of a friend who is a real estate agent. Unfortunately, they may not be the best one for you to work with. If you are buying or selling in a particular market (a specific neighborhood, private community or property type), look for someone who is experienced in that particular market. There are Realtors® who specialize in condo sales, but may not know single-family homes as well. Some agents will have a more focused geographic or demographic niche than others. Find someone who knows the market in which you are looking to buy or sell.
8. Select an Agent You Trust
We’ve already mentioned trust a few times, but there is nothing more important when selecting a real estate agent to represent you during your home purchase or sale. Most people will feel a sense of trust with someone else the moment they meet them. If you don’t get that feeling when meeting with Realtors®, keep looking until you do. If you don’t trust them and you don’t communicate well with them, your real estate experience won’t go as smoothly.
If you are looking to buy or sell a home in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Northern Delaware or Southwestern New Jersey, arrange to meet with The Cyr Team. Vincent Cyr, Jane Cyr and their support team have been in the business for years and have helped many people throughout the tri-state region get the most out of their moves. See if you feel a connection and decide if they are the right real estate team for you.
Contact The Cyr Team today to schedule a no-obligation personal consultation.