If you’re looking for real estate agents, it’s important to know where to start. You can ask family, neighbors or friends if they know of any real estate agents that would be an ideal match for your situation. It’s also a good idea to ask you financial advisor or attorney for suggestions.
If you are selling your house, check for real estate agents that are frequent in your neighborhood, and pay attention to the success they have in selling homes where you live. You can look at the “For Sale” signs in your area for contact information, or contact a local real estate agency to ask further questions. If you plan on buying a home, you can still check “For Sale” signs for names and phone numbers of real estate agents, and be sure to attend any open houses these agents may be hosting in your neighborhood. You can observe the selling style and strategy of real estate agents in this type of environment. You may want to conduct a short interview with the agent afterwards to see if their approach matches your needs.
It’s not generally a good idea to go with the first agent you interview. Try to talk to at least 3 or 4 real estate agents, so you can make an informed decision and select someone you feel is most qualified to suit your needs and make you feel the most comfortable. Buying or selling a home is stressful in and of itself; you don’t want to make matters worse by hiring the wrong real estate agents. Make sure your agent is helpful and resourceful—good real estate agents will inform you of new listings in the area if you’re buying, and keep you abreast of the sales progress of your home if you’re selling.
Also, if you’re moving to a different state, you may want to check with real estate agents to see if they can recommend any good real estate agents (probably from the same company) in the area you’ll be relocating to.
Be sure to prepare a list of questions for real estate agents, so that you will know exactly what to expect during your interactions with them. Find out if your agent works full- or part-time, so you’ll know how much time you have to spend each week with the agent. You should also inquire about the amount of experience real estate agents have, and how many other buyers or sellers they are currently representing. You can also ask for a list of homes the real estate agents have sold within the last 6 to 12 months. Most importantly, make sure the real estate agents you are considering have a license that is in good standing.
These tips should make your transactions a little easier. Be sure that you know what you want in a home (i.e. size, neighborhood, features and price range) and be honest with your real estate agents. If they are dedicated to helping you, you could become a homeowner, or sell your home, in less time and with even less headache.
By Tamiya King
Other Resources and Links:
Real Estate Directory
Real Estate Mortgages