In between choosing a home that fits your lifestyle and budget to finally settling into your new place is a reputable real estate agent who cares about your priorities. While there may be several brokers and agents in your preferred area, finding the best fit for you is actually more challenging than you might think.
A real estate agent who knows the ins and outs of home buying can make the whole process smoother especially for a first-time home buyer like you. This is why you need to find the right real estate agent who’s going to give you the best price and location you prefer.
To help you do that, we’ve put together a list of qualities and things to remember when choosing your real estate agent.
Choose someone who puts your priorities first.
A good real estate agent doesn’t prioritize the benefits they’re going to get from their clients. If you ask top real estate agents about the key to their success, it’s actually their transparent, honest relationship with their clients.
If a real estate agent is giving you options without considering your priorities or rushing you to make a decision without thinking it through, it’s a red flag. Don’t be afraid to move on to another agent if you think he doesn’t have your best interests at heart.
Ask for referrals from homeowners.
While looking for online reviews from an agent’s website or Instagram is a good idea, nothing beats the recommendations from homeowners themselves. For first-time and even experienced home buyers, a referral from a past client is still the best way to find the right real estate agent. So if you know the area you want to buy a home in, ask homeowners who they would recommend. It wouldn’t take long to get an answer as homeowners are always excited to recommend their agent!
Check your compatibility and chemistry.
It’s nice to have an expert help you buy your first home. Why not, right? But like we said, it’s still about your relationship with your agent. In order for your first home buying experience to go smoothly, you’ll want to make sure that you’re comfortable working with him.
If you’re talking to a real estate agent, it’s always a good idea to check your chemistry. He might have rave online reviews from “past clients” but is he someone who’s easy to work with and gets along with you very well? If not, you might want to interview other agents on your list.
After all, it’s your home and money so you have the right to be picky! Make sure you’re compatible with your agent. If you’re getting a bad feeling with an agent, trust your intuition and find someone else.
See if he mitigates risks and provides adequate support.
A good real estate agent knows the market but a great real estate agent not only knows the market but also knows how to mitigate risks. That’s how they attract so many clients and why their clients trust them so much.
If you’re talking with an agent who’s transparent with the risks of buying a home and also shows the options to mitigate them, then he’s very close to ‘the one’! Of course, as long as he checks out the other qualities above.
You’ll also want to see if your real estate agent will provide you with enough support. Buying a home involves a lot of logistics and it can be a mess if you don’t know who to turn to make the purchase or organize your move. If a real estate agent is working with a team, he’s going to provide you with better customer service. So you’ll want to check that too.
Make sure he answers all your questions promptly and is always open to communication.
If an agent isn’t answering your questions promptly, clearly he’s not the one. Prompt and clear communication is a necessary skill for real estate agents. You will be spending a lot of time together so be sure that all your questions are answered and your priorities are considered. It’s your house, not his!
If it’s your first time buying a home, we’re happy to talk to you about it.
If you need help buying your first home or upgrade your current one, we can help. We are a team of reputable real estate professionals who’s ready to help you from choosing the right home to moving into your new place.
Get in touch with us and let’s get you a home at the best price and the right place.
