Choose Real Estate Agent

GETTING A REAL ESTATE AGENT

In today’s world, more and more of us are constantly considering and actually relocating from one place to another in search of better job opportunities and a better life. However, before you can move you have to find a home that fits your needs perfectly, and in the same manner you also have to sell your old home in case you know you won’t be coming back.

First and foremost, you will need to look for and select a real estate agent for both buying and selling your house. When you are moving from one place to another, it is better to sell your property which will also help you economically, and reduce the cost of maintenance. The need to buy or rent a new house where you are moving to is, of course, the most rational thing to do.

There are two kinds of agents – a “buyer’s agent” and a “seller’s agent”. Basically, a real estate agent is a broker or an agent who will assist you to buy or sell at the best possible price under the best possible terms. If the agent is a buyer’s agent then he will assist you to buy at the lowest possible price under the best terms and conditions. If he is a seller’s agent then will help you to sell with maximum profits under the best terms.

However, for an agent to assist you, he or she must be licensed and must have a proper agreement for being paid proper fees for their services. In some states, lawyers can also act as real estate agents without being licensed as brokers but do find out which states allow this before you hire one.

There is a certain important aspect which you have to keep in mind when you find a real estate agent. First, check if the real estate agent has an authorized license and certificate approved by the government. It is also important to find one that has a good reputation in the locality. For this, you can inquire about the agency in your neighborhood. This is very essential because if you pick up a random agent from the phone book or online, you might regret it later.

The individual agent is equally important, as you will be completing the whole transaction through him. An experienced agent can be of great help to you. They should have preferably more than three years of experience. Look for a full time agent working with a real estate agency. You can also interview them and inquire about their knowledge of the neighborhood. Work with them only if you are satisfied with the agent and the agency.

Select a real estate agent according to your time availability. If you can search for your house only on weekends, do not go in for an agent who works only weekdays. You can ask your friends to suggest agents with whom they have had good experiences.

An efficient real estate agent will first listen to all of your needs carefully. The agent will first see the homes himself/herself before they make you see them. A good agent will for certain only show you those homes that match with your wants and necessities.

Ideally, at one time you should ask your agent to show you around six to seven homes at the most. You can definitely explore more homes, but that would for sure be very tiring for you, and you may not be able to do justice to all of them. The day you go out to take tour of prospective homes will be a hectic one, so make sure you take a good meal before you venture out. You have to stay healthy if you want to see a lot of homes every day!

Ensure that your agent doesn’t pressure you about which house to choose. When you are looking at prospective homes make sure your agent lets you take the final decision. A good agent should give you confidence that you will be the best judge of which home will suit you.

Your agent should also understand which of the houses you are likely to go for. This understanding is a part of their profession. So, when you go back to see a house for the second time, your agent should find out with the listing agents what the seller’s demands are. Your agent should also find out if other offers for the homes that you have shortlisted have come in or not, and finally, your agent should make sure that the homes that you have shortlisted are still for sale or not.