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How to Choose a Realtor

It’s interesting to hear the stories from buyers and sellers on how they met the realtor they are working with. What is also interesting is how many times the relationship turns out poorly because the client did not properly interview their agent. THAT’S RIGHT, I SAID INTERVIEW! So how do you go about this process? Follow these simple steps to determine if the realtor you’re working with is the right one for you.

In no particular order:

1. Buyers agent or listing agent.

a. Listing agent to sell your home: A realtor who can market themselves online WILL have a leg up when it comes to selling your home. YES, every realtor that takes your listing will plop it in the MLS, but what else are they going to do to market it? An MLS entry takes about 35 minutes for a trained agent, so there is time for them to put forth more effort. Some things I would want are: Private Webpage for your listing that includes a virtual tour, 360 Panoramic Views, Walkscore, postings to all of the major online portals, Zillow, Tulia, Craigslist, Kajiji, Backpage. Green flyer or consistent flyers for my sign and at least 1 open per month. Call capture or text capture system sign rider.

b. If you are a buyer, then just make sure they are providing you with a comprehensive search engine and that they are monitoring the market for the homes that meet your criteria. Being flexible and patient is important for your buyer’s agent, because the buying process can be stressful!

2. Communication is the key to any good relationship: Above all else, I believe that your agent should be someone that you enjoy being around. It becomes much less stressful to work with someone you can have candid conversations with. They also should be accessible via email or phone. Let’s not be unreasonable about our expectation for a returned call, but same day seems reasonable to me.

3. Career Realtor: An agent who makes a living selling real estate is very different then one that does this part time for vacation money. Simply ask, how many hours per week do you work? If the answer is 30+ they are likely a full time agent. It does not always matter how long they have been in the industry, some of the best and most outside the box thinkers I know are Tech Savvy high school dropouts that became awesome realtors.

4. Ask for a referral: There is no better place to start looking for an agent then by asking the people you know and trust. Real estate is a 100% commission sales job, so make sure you do your best to take care of the agents who took care of your friends and family.

5. Have your own agent: If you are a buyer, it is in your best interest to have a buyer’s agent. The agent whom represents the listing should not also represent the buyer. Many realtors can take both sides and work honestly and ethically, but there is no way to be sure. It is just easier if you hire your own agent so that there is no conflict of interest.

All agents are NOT created equal. I have worked with, interviewed or met with over 300 realtors in my career and I can tell when a realtor is very good at their job. If you need a good referral for a realtor let me know and I can refer you to a realtor I feel is a model match for your needs.

Side note: Realtors waste a lot of time driving buyers around. Many times the research you need to do as a buyer can be done on-line by using the system they provide. After you have seen everything available you should have a better idea of what your needs are. Communicate these needs and only look at homes you would be interested in. This will save you and your realtor a lot of time.

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