Finding a Great Real Estate Agent
What Does a Great Agent Mean to your Family?
Finding a great real estate agent can take some work. Sure it's easy enough to receive a referral from a friend or neighbor, but have you interviewed agents to find our who measures up? Hiring a great agent can mean the difference in paying closing costs or not. It can determine the price you ultimately pay for your home. Here are some tips in interviewing real estate agents:
1) Agent Profile-Most agents have a website. Checking out the agent's website and profile online can be very important in determining if that person is a match. Do they handle Short Sales if your a seller in distress? Have they worked with First Time Homebuyers and FHA loans? Having an agent that understands his/her business is a tremendous help and can assist in educating you on a process they have already been through.
2) Negotiation-This can be an art or an act of war. Does the agent have experience negotiating? Some agents have chosen to advance their skills and become "Certified Negotiation Experts" through courses offered to enhance and deepen their knowledge. A good negotiator should understand what is important to you and do their best to achieve maximum results.
3) Licensing-Although you may not think this is an issue. It is. An agent must be licensed through the State of California and be listed under a brokerage. An active license means the agent has complied with mandatory testing and licensing procedures in order to practice real estate including understanding fair lending and ethics. You can chech the Department of Real Estate. Click here.
4) Creative Solutions-In tight lending markets, it's good to have an agent on your side that understands how to creatively solve issues. Ask your potential agent, when is the last time you creatively solved a financing problem? Does this happen often? Do you work with a lender currently that gets transactions closed?
A real estate agent can more than earn the 2-6% commission they received or just collect a paycheck. Make sure your agent is working for you.
