Successful Buyer Strategies Part III – How to Find a Good Realtor

In our opinion, the best way to find a Realtor is to look for a referral from a trusted friend, family member or co-worker. An evaluation from someone with an actual working relationship with a professional is infinitely superior to relying on an agent’s self-promotion Have you ever noticed how many agents claim to be Number 1? This may be an indication of an agent’s accomplishment, but as a buyer you want to be “number 1″….not “1” among many.

Professionals in the community may have relationships with Realtors. Realtors often work with other professional advisors – attorneys, lenders, accountants, and escrow officers – and they may have worked with several Realtors professionally and consequently are uniquely qualified to compare experiences. For example, if you are looking at purchasing one of the many New Homes in Greenville, you will need assistance from these professionals to ensure that your purchase goes through without issue.

Do further research by reviewing an agent’s website to see what sorts of properties the agent has represented. If the agent’s website includes testimonials, take the time to review them. Some websites like getagent.co.uk even allow you to compare a number of real estate agents in order to find the best one for your needs. Above all doing plenty of your own research is crucial.

Another way to find a Realtor is to visit public open houses which are generally held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Strike up a conversation with the agent hosting the open house. Are they friendly? Are they knowledgeable about the home they are holding open? Are they familiar with community issues? Are they professional? Are they interested in you?

There are some websites which promote their ability to recommend or rank agents in a particular community. It’s wise to be wary of these because most commonly agents pay a fee to be included in their list, and there is no assurance of experience or quality.

Ask for an initial screening interview with someone you are considering as a potential representative. Here are some questions you might ask:

• Do you work with both buyers and sellers?
• In what communities have you sold homes recently?
• How long have you been in the business of real estate?
• What do you enjoy most about working with buyers?
• What services do you provide for buyers?
• Do you specialize in a community or price range? Follow up for specifics.
• Are you involved in the communities where you sell houses?
• How do you cover your business when vacationing or taking time off?
• Would you please provide recent buyer references that I can contact?
• How many buyers are you working with right now? How many sellers?

Evaluate the feedback you receive from your questions. Do you get the sense that the agent has your best interests’ at heart? If so, don’t be afraid to commit to that agent. It is not generally local practice to sign a “Buyer Broker Agreement” which obligates a buyer to compensate the broker/agent when the buyer purchases. Locally relationships are built on trust – you trust that the agent is working diligently on your behalf, and the agent trusts that you are loyal to them.

We will soon be providing some good “rules of the road” to follow……stay tuned.