When it’s time to choose a real estate agent, you know you want someone that’s great. An awesome one at that! So, how do you find this awesome real estate agent? Here are some tips to consider in the process:
ONE
A busy real estate agent is a GOOD agent! Everyone should want an experienced agent who is going to get them the best deal possible—whether they are buying or selling. A good agent is going to be busy helping multiple clients so they’ll be schedule driven. Meaning, it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to meet you in 5 minutes to see a house. Being schedule driven, they’ll need a little time to schedule with you and then to coordinate with the seller.
(Side note: the agent that CAN drop everything and meet at the drop of a hat – is likely one that isn’t terribly busy. Not being busy is a bad sign. PLUS, you want to give the owners of the house time to pick up their underwear before you show up. Right?) Bottom line: Great real estate agents are committed to their clients and will do everything they can to make your experience as smooth as possible. An experienced agent will be busy. Busy is good.
TWO
They know their stuff! Buying and selling houses comes with a lot of questions. Find an agent who can answer these questions or direct you to someone who can. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to real estate and it’s important to have someone in your corner who can keep up with the many moving parts of a transaction. Agents are required to take continuing education classes every 3 years, but GOOD real estate agents will constantly be learning and making sure they know what’s happening in the market. That being said, we’re all human and no one knows everything, but if you hear too many, “I don’t knows”, that’s probably a bad sign. We recommend finding an agent that HAS answers.
THREE
Reviews! Check out the reviews for the agents you’re considering. Real reviews by real people are hard to fake. See what other buyers and sellers experienced and compare it to what you’re looking for in a real estate agent. If there aren’t many reviews, it’s probably a bad sign. Or, maybe it’s a sign that agent isn’t really “in to technology” which is also a bad sign. For example, our team ranks pretty high for reviews in the Des Moines area. Check it out here.
FOUR
A good real estate agent knows everyone – all the best service providers! As agents, we see all kinds of things from mysterious leaks to extreme filth. We know who to call for a leaky basement, a leaky pipe or a leaky roof. Need an appliance repair or perhaps some work done around the house? We’ve got a guy. Maybe you need some extra help to keep the house clean. We can give you some recommendations. A good agent is going to know all the right people – and more importantly, all the WRONG people to call.
Ask for recommendations. Your agent should be able to give you several recommendations, both good and bad, for service providers. It’s a good sign that they 1. Have a lot of experience and 2. Know their stuff! It could also be a sign they know how to use Google, so don’t rely on just this one point to qualify the agent.
FIVE
Go with your gut! Of course all of these items are important when it comes to finding a great real estate agent. But, none of them matter if you don’t jive with the person who is going to walk next to you in one of the biggest decisions you can make. If something seems off, or sketchy, move on. You don’t have to be best friends with them – but you do need to trust that they’re going to be looking out for YOUR best interests. It’s a huge purchase, one that’s done only a few times in a lifetime (on average) and you deserve someone to have YOU be the priority, right? Right!
That’s it – our 5 tips to find an AWESOME real estate agent! If you’d like to chat with us about what you’re looking for, we’re here when you need us.