How to pick a real estate agent?
Picking the right real estate agent is like picking the right team captain to head your team. Not only do they know how to recommend you other players on your team to find the right qualified people to ensure your success, but ensures a smooth successful closing for your new home.
Tips to Choose the Right Real Estate Agent
Real Estate Agent Must Have a State License
First and foremost, is someone who is state licensed. You can always double check their license and that it is active in the U.S. Department of State website in your home state.
Experience and/or Part of a Reputable Brokerage
Experience is also another factor to consider. Real estate salespeople don’t have as much as a real estate broker designation. But it doesn’t mean that a real estate salesperson cannot get the job done. There are underdogs with this designation that are just as competent. Afterall this is why sports recruiters are on the look out for new upcoming talent.
Having a real estate pro heading your team will sometimes also have other designations or experience such as doing or have mortgage experience, title experience or even rarer, to find a licensed real estate agent who also holds an appraisal license.
The latter will be much harder to find due to the extensive educational and licensing requirements that pass muster with banks for appraisal work.
How to find a good real estate agent?
You can search the website of your local favorite real estate agency near you. You can read bios of agents and their experiences to find one that resonates with you, or the right person that specializes in your niche, neighborhood or price point.
Don’t be afraid to interview several of them with items that you may find is important to you or the way you like to work. Afterall, you will be working with this person for quite a bit of time, and you will want to feel comfortable working with them. Trust, competency and transparency is paramount with purchasing a house.
It’s not like you are purchasing a discount bottle of ketchup at the grocery. This will be, like for most people, the single largest investment purchase they will do in their lives.
Referrals are also a great place to start. Ask a neighbor or a friend that had a fantastic experience with an agent that they have used previously.
If you have a family member that just got their license, this is also a great way to help them out. Although working with family can sometimes be a bit tricky, rest assured that they have the guidance of a real estate brokerage house where their license is hung to help circumvent possible pitfalls from inexperience. The benefit that you will have is the innate built-in trust, versus working with a total stranger.
Wrap Up
In summation, find a real estate agent that YOU feel comfortable with. There are multiple avenues to find the right person. And people all have different needs, personalities and strong points. All that matters is your comfort level in making the largest personal investment in your life.
