Tips to Find a Reliable Real Estate Agent

Do you know a real estate agent can make or break your home sale/purchase? For both home buyers and sellers, real estate agents play a crucial role. They not only find the best available homes but also educate buyers about the market rates. Likewise, these agents help in listing your home for sale, as well as negotiate the best deal on your behalf. So, real estate professionals provide valuable services and insights about the home buying and selling process. However, hundreds of real estate agents are available in the market, and with so many professionals to choose from, finding the right one can feel overwhelming.

Whether you’re a first-time seller or home buyer, it’s hard to find the right real estate agent. So, to avoid hiring an inexperienced or dodgy agent, it becomes imperative to know what qualities to look for in a real estate agent. You need to ask the right questions about their experience with the local market and your kind of property to determine if the agent is the best fit for your job. With that in mind, here are some tips to help you make sure that you hire the perfect real estate agent.

Find Licensed Agents

First, you need to compile a list of licensed real estate agents in your area. You may search online or ask friends and family members if they can recommend a real estate agent. The best thing to do is find a real estate agent who is a Realtor with a capital R. To distinguish between qualified and untrustworthy agents, you should check their license and membership of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), or accreditations like CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), ABR, or SRES. This ensures that the agent abides by the industry’s code of ethics.

Compare by Ratings, Reviews, & References

You need to find out what type of homes the agents have listed and sold in the past. To find out more about the agents and services they offer, perform a quick name search online, and read online reviews of the agents on your list. Get to know what people in your area are saying about the real estate agents you’re considering. You may also check your local Better Business Bureau’s website to see if they’ve received any complaints. If online reviews look satisfactory, then contact the agents online or via phone and request references. Call their past clients and find out their experience.

Interview at least 3 Real Estate Agents

Now shortlist at least three candidates and meet them for a face-to-face interview. Ideally, you should consider full-time real estate agents, specializing in buying or selling your type of properties.  There’s no need to settle on the first agent you meet. Meet multiple agents and ask them the right questions like- how many years of experience you have, how many active clients do you have at a time, your specialty, how will you keep me informed, how do you charge a commission, do you primarily work with buyers or sellers, and more. On the basis of the answers given by the candidates, make your hiring decision very carefully.