Picking a real estate agent when you’re putting a house up for sale, or buying a new home can be daunting. Most people know nothing about real estate, and find the paperwork and regulatory burden involved with buying and selling a home intimidating, to say the least. That’s why there are more than 100,000 real estate agents in Canada. The majority of real estate transactions in this country take place under their helpful guidance.
Deciding which real estate agent or team to hire can get tricky. It’s tempting to use numbers, or reviews from strangers to make the decision for you. These are helpful metrics, but the best real estate partnership will be with someone that suits your personality, and your needs. This person will be guiding you through one of the most important transactions of your life. Do plenty of research and ask lots of questions, but make sure you listen to your intuition before you make a final decision.
Today, we’ll give you some tips on how to pick the right real estate agent when you’re buying or selling a home.
1. Ask Friends and Family for Referrals
Before you start your search through online listings, ask friends or family if they have any real estate agents they’d recommend. Make sure to get a full picture of the agent’s skills, their communication style, and how the agent-client relationship felt throughout.
You may not be looking for the exact same type of agent, but a personal recommendation goes a long way. Your loved one can give you an honest opinion, as well as a personal introduction if it seems like a good fit.
2. Read Reviews, But Realize They’re Not Everything
Once you’ve spoken to friends and family, head to the web and check out listings for real estate agents near you. Once you’ve found a few, check out their reviews.
Reviews are a great way to learn more about how individual agents interact with clients, but they aren’t everything. Keep in mind that the majority of an agent’s clients aren’t going to leave a review, and those that do typically fall on the far ends of the satisfaction spectrum.
3. Pick a Local
When you’re looking for agents who can help you buy or sell a house, prioritize those that have experience in your area. The best real estate agents are going to be those that have directly represented locals, and have a history of success in the region. Local agents will have their ears to the ground when it comes to new listings, and may even have access to private houses for sale.
4. Meet Them in Person
Once you’ve picked a few different agents that have local experience and are available to work with you, you should meet them in person. If you can’t meet face-to-face, set up a phone call or even a video chat. This is the best way to ensure that you have a good rapport.
It’s easy to appear professional over email, but seeing someone in person is a great way to evaluate their personality, attitude towards sales, and communication style. Come with a list of questions, and don’t work with anyone if you aren’t satisfied with their answers.
5. Find One That Specializes in Your Choice of Home
A real estate agent might be friendly, communicative, and professional, but if they aren’t familiar with your preferred choice of home, it probably won’t be a great fit. For example- a real estate agent more familiar with farms and acreages may not be the best choice if you’re looking to buy a condo. Make sure they have actual, hands-on experience working with your preferred type of real estate.
6. Share Relevant Details from the Beginning
Honesty on both sides is key to a successful agent-client relationship. When you first meet with real estate agents, be honest about your wants and needs. If you absolutely won’t go below a certain amount for your home, tell them. If you need a certain closing date, tell them. They can’t help you if they don’t know what you need.
7. Check Their Support Network
While finding an individual agent that you like is critical, you should also make sure they’re supported by a strong network. A real estate agent with a strong team behind them is going to have more marketing and business support than one who works alone, is just starting out, or does this part-time.
Looking for a Windsor Real Estate Team?
With a bit of research and intuition, it won’t take long to find the right real estate agent for your unique needs.
How do we know? The Dan Gemus Real Estate Team has been working with clients in the Windsor and Essex County area for years. We’re deeply connected with the towns and neighbourhoods that make this region so great. If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in Windsor, get in touch with us today.
I appreciate the advice you shared about picking local real estate agents because they might have a lot of success in the area. I would imagine that if a real estate agent has been working in the same area for a while, it’s because people like working with them. Reading reviews could be another way to see if a local agent is liked in an area.