5 Ways How To Find A Respectable Real Estate Agent
Buying a home or selling your home is one of the biggest financial decisions a person makes in their lifetime. Most of us are not buying yachts or private jets, so a house or investment property is the most common large purchase or sale the everyday working family will make at some point in their lifetime. The old saying "you get what you pay for" is a commonly known proverb that stands true even in the process of selecting a real estate professional to help you make this sale happen.
With all of that in mind, how does one find such a professional?
1. Check for National Association of REALTORs designations or local board certifications.
When searching for a top producer you should know that the law requires the agents to use their full legal name on all their advertisements and business cards, and they may appear to have some designations or certifications after their names. The chances of you finding a great professional is much higher if they are attempting to achieve greater levels of knowledge in their spare time; keep in mind they still have families to take care of and a business to run.
2. Are they telling you what you want to hear? or are they being honest with you?
A good realtor will always tell you the truth as opposed to making promises that cannot be delivered. Top-performing salespersons and brokers do not seek praise, sympathy, or approval; they know from experience already what can or cannot be done and will not waste time trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat.
3. Check their sales history.
It can become a lot of work for a Realtor to constantly update their professional profiles on the major listing websites like Zillow, Realtor.com, Trulia, Hotpads, Homes.com, Redfin, or Homesnap. When a REALTOR has sold and bought with clients in more locations they are more likely to have experienced a wider scenario of problems/hurdles that pop up in a transaction than when they are solely focused on one area.
4. After meeting with them, are they the right fit?
If you meet with the person and you get the feeling they are honest, charming (this is important in sales), and competent to get the job done then go with what your gut is telling you.
5. The most important thing to consider:
When you have a realtor who expresses gratitude and sincerity but more importantly their presentation is focused on you, you are already in a way better position than having a top producer whose ego is making all of his decisions. Find a professional who focuses on solving your problems and achieving your goals, their reputation will speak for itself in their actions.
Andrew Ragusa is the CEO/Broker of REMI Realty in Plainview, NY. He is a Licensed Real Estate Broker, Sellers Representative Specialist, Accredited Buyer Representative, & Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource Specialist. Andrew is a regular in the media everywhere talking about real estate issues.
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