In 2015, there were almost 29,000 new real estate agents in Florida alone. With so many agents, how do you know which one is the best real estate agent for your needs?
Choosing a great agent could mean the difference between selling your home fast and waiting months for it to move. Jumping into a relationship with a Realtor® too fast could cost you.
If you choose the wrong Realtor®instead of picking a top selling real estate agent, you could get a lower price on your house as well as take longer to sell it. Many factors go into making a house attractive to buyers, negotiating and more.
Continue reading to find out how to choose a top real estate agent that will work to help you sell your house fast.
What to Look for In the Best Real Estate Agent
You may think that you will look through Realtors®until you find the most popular and highly awarded Realtor®and that must be a sign they are the right one for you. While they may be good at what they do, they may be too busy to put the right amount of effort into your home sale. You do want to work with someone that has credibility and a track record, but you need to look at other factors.
1. Availability
As mentioned above, if you choose a real estate agent only due to their popularity, you could come up against the issue of availability. If someone wants to look at your home rather quickly and their schedule is booked. Their lack of availability can cause a major challenge and lose a potential buyer.
2. Personality
Spend some time with your Realtor®before you decide they are the right fit for you. If your personalities clash, you could be putting yourself into a miserable and uncomfortable situation. You don’t want to dread picking up your Realtor’s® phone calls.
3. Connections
See how connected your potential Realtor® is in the community. Do they attend community events? Do they volunteer?
Understanding how active they are in the community will give you a good sense of how they network. Networking is one of the important skills Realtors® need to have to get people into your home for showings.
4. Reputation
Do your research and see what kind of reputation they have. If you see a lot of people have questioned their abilities, there are plenty of other options – don’t go there.
Even if you see a lot of glowing recommendations on their website, go to independent review websites. See what reviews off of their website say about them to double check the validity of the reviews on their website.
5. Track Record
If your Realtor® has been working in real estate for quite some time, they should have developed a good track record. If they haven’t developed a good track record, they may not be full-time or serious about their career.
Ask the Realtor® for references of people they’ve sold homes for and don’t be afraid to press the issue. If they can’t offer references, this is a red flag.
6. Advanced Technology & Tools
The day of only being able to see a home from the outside before a showing is gone. Now you can go through a home online with a few clicks of a button. If you like it, put it in your favorites and if you don’t – click and on to the next.
If your Realtor® isn’t up on the latest technology, you can lose a sale in a single click. Your Realtor’s® ability to showcase your home online is very important. Ask them for active sample listings they have on the market right now so you can see how their online listings look.
When you are looking at their online listing, some sites will also show you how many days the house has been listed. This is another good piece of information to pay attention to so you can get an idea of how long houses they are selling stay on the market.
As technology advances and selling homes becomes more difficult than in years past, you can’t stand to be even a year behind the times. Look for someone that offers virtual tours online so people can “look” through the house on their own.
7. Do a Thorough Interview
Though Realtors® are paid off commission, you still need to interview them like they are applying for a salary plus commission sales job. Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions and take time to see how they communicate. You aren’t looking for a new friend; you are looking for someone that knows what they are doing and can sell your home.
While you do want your Realtor® to be nice and polite, you can skip over the necessity for common interests. Your goal is to find someone that can sell your home, not hang out on the weekends.
See how well they know the market and if they are hyper-localized. A Florida Realtor® isn’t going to cut it. You want to find someone that works in your county, city or even neighborhood specifically for the best results.
8. Ensure They Listen to Your Desires
Making sure your Realtor® understands your needs is important. If you speak with them and notice they aren’t paying attention – pass! You want to work with someone that is sensitive to your desires.
Don’t Go Through the Runaround Anymore
If you are tired of getting the runaround, getting low offers from potential customers and being stuck with a house you don’t want, it’s time to put an end to this. Even if you work with the best real estate agent, your house may stay on the market longer than you want it to.
Instead of keeping a house that isn’t in your budget or you don’t want anymore, give us a call. We buy homes in South Florida, and we want to help you by giving you a fair offer. We guarantee 100% satisfaction, so you don’t have anything to worry about.