Know What to Expect

Most people understand that real estate agents help people buy and sell homes. However, agents are responsible for educating their clients to help them learn what to expect in the home buying process and guide them. For example, a buyer’s real estate agent helps buyers shop for homes and make offers while negotiating with sellers, while a listing agent can help sellers price and list their homes.

In many cases, real estate agents represent both buyers and sellers, but it’s always best to hire a real estate agent who works solely for you.

It’s also important to note that real estate agents and realtors are not the same. Realtors are licensed real estate agents that are members of the National Association of Realtors, which has its own code of ethics. Real estate agents that aren’t realtors are typically licensed in their states and abide by national and state laws rather than an additional code of ethics.

Interview Real Estate Agents

It’s great if you hit it off with the first real estate agent you meet, but it’s always best to meet with multiple agents before hiring one. You can find agents through referrals from family and friends or by searching online for realtors in your area. When talking to real estate agents, you should determine whether they represent your interests and how much payment they expect.

Typically, sellers pay real estate commissions which can be split with the buyer’s agent. However, fees can vary depending on the real estate agent. Therefore, you must understand how much you’ll need to pay your agent before signing any paperwork. Luckily, if you’re buying a home, you won’t pay a real estate agent. Instead, they’ll split the commission with the seller’s agent, so if you’re a buyer, there’s nothing to lose by working with a professional.

Consider Their Experiences

Experience and skill are important for realtors to help you sell or buy a home. With the right skills, they can negotiate prices in your favor and know exactly where to look so you can get your dream house within your budget. Of course, less experienced realtors can be just as good, but realtors with more experience typically understand the buyer’s needs and help you quickly buy or sell a home. One of the extra bonuses that come with more experienced real estate agents is that they often can find you other deals outside of buying your home as well. For example, they may have connections with pool cleaners, furniture stores, landscaping companies, and landscaping supplies and may even be able to get you a deal.

That being said, experience is not always the most important factor to consider. You might be spending a lot of time with this person, so you want to make sure you hire someone you like and can trust.

Trust Yourself

Trust your ability to read people. Of course, knowledge and experience are important to help guide you through the home buying or selling process. However, you must also be able to build a rapport with your realtor so that they understand what you’re looking for in a home.

Read the Contract Closely

Before you sign any contract from a realtor, always read it closely. Even if you had a good experience talking to them, they might still put obligations in the contract you don’t agree with. Also, it’s important to understand the terms of the agreement and the commission you’ll need to pay if you’re a seller. For example, it’s common for sellers to pay six percent, but you may be able to negotiate different rates.

You should also consider the length of the contract. Most realtor contracts should be six months or less, depending on the average time it takes to sell a home at the time. If you don’t find your dream home within a few months or sell your house quickly, you always want the option to work with another realtor.

Look at Online Reviews

It can be hard to determine whether someone is going to be a good realtor for you based on one meeting or phone call. However, looking at online reviews can help you determine whether other people have had a good or negative experience working with a realtor. Always read both the good and bad reviews to uncover any potential problems you should be aware of before signing a contract.

Be Realistic

One of your real estate agent’s goals is to keep you as the buyer or seller realistic. For example, you can’t sell a house way over market value, and you can’t buy a mansion with a starter home budget. However, if your realtor seems a little too optimistic, it could be a red flag.

Real estate agents should have realistic list prices, but unfortunately, many of the best salespeople are good at convincing sellers that they can sell your home for way more than it’s worth. If your real estate agent seems to have unrealistic expectations themselves, you can bet they’re just trying to prevent you from choosing another agent.

Hiring a Realtor

After researching realtors in your area, interviewing them, and calling references, you should have your list narrowed down to at least a few different realtors. Always look at the contract before signing it to ensure all the terms you agreed upon are there. Additionally, never choose a realtor based on their price or experiences alone; you should trust your realtor to have your best interests in mind.