Whether you're saving up to purchase or packing boxes to move, it's likely you're not entering the home buying or selling process alone. Most homeowners opt for realtor help when listing or purchasing a property due to their resources and experience. While the process seems simple once you have your real estate agent, there's a question that must be answered first: how do you choose one?
Choosing a real estate agent is an intensely personal decision. Despite this, many homeowners see the process as one that is hit or miss based on preconceived notions of the realty industry. Worse, some homeowners don’t think who they choose matters at all — “an agent is an agent." The opposite couldn’t be more true. While your home may be bought or sold either way, which agent you choose affects factors such as time, price, and (most of all) your personal experience. Picking the right agent can save you the headache of working with someone you don't get along with, or even someone who doesn't have your best interests at heart. Here's how you can make sure you end up with the proper one.
Before jumping into tips to make the best decision, let's first discuss what skills you should look for in a real estate agent. A good real estate agent should be able to price a property well, market properties effectively, and successfully negotiate.
Beyond these more objective skills, you should also look for social skillfulness. Your potential real estate agent should have the ability to make you feel comfortable. The best ones are agents that you click and have chemistry with immediately. This is someone that will be selling your home or helping you buy, which is an enormous decision to make and will greatly impact your life. While other factors can be kept in mind, we wouldn’t recommend moving along in the interview process with any agents that you don’t mesh with. Opt for someone relatable, real, friendly, and good at carrying a conversation. It’s about choosing an agent for you and your home buying experience, not necessarily an agent for your home itself.
Going with the first agent you meet is not necessarily the best decision — in fact, it usually isn't. Only meeting a single realtor gives you no benchmark of comparison, while meeting with a few gives you a better sense of what you're looking for. Making a final decision has both emotional and logical aspects, and each should be considered equally.
Most professionals say that the most important factor is finding someone who knows your area. This is not to be confused with overall experience, though. A realtor with 10 years of experience selling in a different place may not be as well-equipped to sell your house or find you the perfect home as a realtor with 5 years of experience in your particular neighborhood. Half of marketing a home is selling its overarching location and features, usually referred to as "local knowledge," which usually requires previous experience.
Choosing a realtor with experience in your locality is beneficial because you're more likely to find someone you click with on a cultural and social level. Additionally, it's typically an agent that will sell your home faster — and for a higher price! (Of course, you'll want to see empirical results that support this notion, too.) If you like a real estate agent that hasn’t yet sold in your area, test them a little on their local knowledge. Knowing their stuff is a demonstration that they care enough to invest time into and complete research on the community.
Shopping around for estate agents is always, always worth it. It's generally suggested to interview at least three realtors. Come prepared with questions and ask away. You may want to inquire about their home buying or selling approaches, what tactics will work best for your property or situation, and even if they're willing to do a "mock" walkthrough of your home as if you were the buyer. This is also an opportunity to ask for them to take you through past case studies of other property sales.
Asking for referrals — and seeking your own — is a must. While you can solely analyze the referrals an agent provides, they may not disclose their entire history. Sales and testimonials from recent clients are valuable, but estate agents will may only present the ‘best’ ones. To mitigate this, you can begin your search process with referrals by asking current homeowners who have recently bought or sold who their agent was. Alternatively, you can find homeowners who worked with your agent in the past if you already have a realtor in mind. A past client near always gives the truest insight on a realtor.
Homebuyers typically pay about 5–6% in commission following the closing of a sale, half of which goes to the seller's agent and the other half of which goes to the buyer's agent. You can be upfront about pricing and ask a realtor if their commission is negotiable, but the cost of an estate agent is just one small factor in the grand scheme of things. Because pricing is generally standard, it's usually not the most important component.
Gut feelings are your body's mixtures of logic and emotion, and at the end of the day, it's the feeling to rely on. The idyllic agent is one that has your best interests at heart and brings you homebuyers or homes that match your needs and requests. Transparency, trustworthiness, and positivity are qualities you can subconsciously perceive. If the relationship doesn't feel right, don't be afraid to move on to interviewing another agent! Again, this person is helping you with an enormously large decision — if they "feel" right, go for it.
Finding a real estate agent is no easy nor short task. It takes time, and for good reason. Remember that the home buying or selling process is often a long one and that picking a real estate agent is just the beginning! It's one of the biggest and most important parts of the process, and you'll want to dedicate a lot of time (and enthusiasm!) to it. You and your home deserve it.
Finding an agent that you can trust with your estate needs doesn't have to be difficult; just use Taleah! Taleah is a human-assisted artificial intelligence system that provides personalized support during each step of the buying or selling process. With Taleah, it's easy to get connected to top professionals, simplify your home estate actions, and get the best price for your property. Join today and see just how easy finding the perfect real estate agent can be!
Choosing a real estate agent is no easy feat. It requires a lot of time and energy to find the right fit, but it's arguably the most important part of your home buying or home selling process. When seeking an estate agent, the best realtors are those with experience buying or selling in your area, positive referrals from past clientele, and a personality that you easily mesh with. To make your realty experience easier, choose taelah for finding a real estate agent! Our human-assisted artificial intelligence system offers personalized support throughout any home buying or selling process — including finding the right realtor.