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Committed to buying or selling a home? The next step is to find a great Realtor. Ten years ago, prior to the housing crisis, we were all okay with having our aunt Ginnie’s friend represent us because they were the first Realtor we were in contact with.
Today is much different. With complexities having to do with financing, inspections, and negotiations of purchase agreements, it can easily take upwards of 120 days to sell or buy a home. We recommend that consumers do the necessary research that this transaction deserves. In most cases, the home is our largest asset & investment. This is why it must be represented by a true professional.
The question is how do we find the true professionals, when there are so many so-so agents available to choose from. We’ve compiled a list of techniques used to determine if a Realtor is the right person (or team) to represent you.
1: Attend Open Houses
When you’re considering a Realtor to list your home, it can be very beneficial to attend an open house they are hosting. This gives you the behind-the-scenes view of how they will go about selling your home. Does the Realtor just sit in a corner, reading a book? Or is the Realtor interactive and helpful with answering questions about the property?
2: Check Online Reviews
Thanks to rapid growth of the Internet we truly are in the information age. By checking Yelp, Zillow & Incredible agents, you can see uncensored and unaltered reviews of real estate professionals in your area. Unlike testimonials where the Realtor can pick and choose which testimonial they make public, these review sites make good and bad reviews public, allowing you to get a much more accurate description of the Realtor and their attention to good service.
3: Internet Presence
93% of all home buyers start their search online. It is important that the Realtor you list with can market your property to the largest audience possible, aka tech savvyness is highly necessary.
4: Innovation Matters
You don’t want to work with an agent who does the same thing as every other Realtor our there. Look to see where they stand out from the rest of the pack. For example, one of the many things we do to differentiate ourselves is creating video tours for all of our listings like the one seen below. This is something that has been noticed by many, including PureDriven. When others notice superior marketing and innovation they share it with their audience, increasing the number of people who see the listing.
[jwplayer mediaid="2576"]
5: Interviews are still Important
An ole’ fashioned interview is still a great way to determine if you want to work with a particular Realtor. All the great online reviews in the world may mean nothing if you are not compatible with a certain person. Do your research prior to interviewing a Realtor, and only interview Realtors you are genuinely planning on working with. The interview should be done to confirm that you want to work with them, but don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions.
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