4 Steps to finding the right realtor
Buying and selling real estate is a big investment. It involves a lot of money. It is important that you get along well with the realtor that you choose. You will work with that person for 3 to 6 months. Do not just hire the first realtor that you meet. Some realtors are lousy agents. There are some realtors that do not answer the phone after 5 pm, do not work on weekends, do not return messages, do not know neighborhoods where they are showing houses and are not very professional. It is best to choose a realtor whom you do not know. Do not pick your friend or relative to be your realtor. Because, that person may not give you the best service, because they know you. They may try to cut corners because they know you and feel that they can get away with it. Buying and selling houses are business transactions and you deserve the best service.
1. Experience--Choose a realtor that closes at least 12 deals a year. That will tell you that the person has experience with different types of transactions and knows how to handle any problem that might occur.
2. Reputation--Go to Google, Zillow, and Trulia to see if your potential realtor has any reviews. You can Google the agents name along with the word reviews and see what comes up. If your potential realtor has a lot of transactions and no reviews, then ask the agent for references. They can have former clients to call you and tell you about their experiences with that realtor.
3. Local Expert--Make sure that your potential realtor is a local expert about the neighborhood you are interested in. If he or she is not a local expert, then get your potential realtor to help you research the neighborhood. Get your potential realtor to educate you about the schools and neighborhood. It is important that the neighborhood you choose is safe and is located near activities you like to do during your leisure time. Make sure it is near schools that you will want your children to attend. Talk with the people in the parent school association.
4. Professional-- Make sure that you are hiring a professional realtor. A realtor who is dedicated to helping you to find your dream house. Make sure you feel that the realtor is going to get the job done. Do not just choose a person to be your realtor because you know them. Pick someone who will get the job done.
This blog is written by Real Estate By Jane: We are home buying/credit specialists who know how to successfully help people who have been pushed out of the housing market by no fault of their own become home owners again. These people could have been pushed out by job layoffs, divorce, medical illness, etc. We also help single parents to find safe affordable housing. We offer traditional real estate services in Northern Virginia. To inquire about our services, please call 703-606-7963.
