It is simple, pick someone you trust. Here is a list of things to look for.
Reviews & References
Do your homework. Look at Zillow reviews, Yelp Reviews, look up their license to see if any disciplinary actions have been taken. Ask for references. There are a lot of good salesman, but as my Dad would say, look out for the all show no go.
Local Expertise
Look for an agent who knows the area. I can not tell you how many people we meet who say, ” I wish my agent would have showed me this neighborhood before we bought.” When we ask where their agent was from, invariably the response is it is an out of area agent. Local expertise is critical. Knowledgeable in Comparable Sales, Floor Plans, Tax Rates, Schools, Convenience, etc…
Professionalism
This can mean a lot of different things to different people but in general you look for someone who does real estate full time. Do they pick up the phone when you call? Do they answer your questions fully and transparently? Are they responsive! Buying a home is stressful enough, you do not need the stress compounded by not getting answers that you want or need.
When Selling Your Home
When you are selling your home, pick someone who markets your property fully and digitally. Are they a Zillow Premier Agent? Do they take professional photos, I know crazy but you would be surprised how many take pictures with their phone. Do they take 3D Matterport recording of your property? This is huge, it costs about $400 to the agent, but in this time of COVID, it is a huge tool to sell your home. Do they take Ariel photos with drones? Do they market your property with Facebook and Instagram Ads? Finally and most importantly, how much do they charge? Historically the listing price use to be about 6%, 3% to the selling agent and 3% to the buyers agent. The average today is about 5% Agents who do all of the above clearly will charge closer to the 5%. Agents who lead with discounted listing fees generally do not offer all the relevant services to maximize your listing’s potential.
Do your homework, ask questions, get references and if everything checks out, pick the person who you connect with best.
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