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Choose Realtor Wisely
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Written by Linda Kaufman
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Wednesday, 28 February 2007 |
 Whether you’re ready to sell your home or link up with someone to show you your
dream home, the choice can be tough. How do you choose the right realtor? How do
you find the realtor who understands your needs and goals? You absolutely need
to feel that this is someone you trust, but ultimately, it comes down to a
business choice. Who will best assist you in making the best deal in what is
probably your biggest investment – your home?
Is finding a realtor like
dating? Sort of. You need to go through the awkwardness of friends’
recommendations, the interviews and being in an uncomfortable position when
rejecting them, but that’s a necessary part of the process. What should guide
your decision? Are you able to talk to them, and most importantly, do you feel
that they are really listening to what you have to say? If they can’t clearly
explain their plans for you, will you be comfortable entrusting a big chunk of
your wealth to them? There must be a good gut feeling about this person, or
things won’t go well. Being nice and friendly may just not cut it – you need to
be on the lookout for a trustworthy realtor who can squeeze just a bit extra out
of your home’s value, or gain the upper hand in negotiating a
purchase.
When interviewing realtors to list your house, take note of
whether they are excited about your home, or focused on the negatives of trying
to sell it? If they say they have clients lined up to buy your home, be sure
that you’re confident that they’ll be bringing these folks through your front
door as soon as the ink dries on the listing contract. Any house can be sold if
priced right. Make sure that their assessment of your home’s value is realistic
and based upon comparable homes on the market, not what price gives you a
desired profit. Just because you’ve put your heart and soul into renovations,
doesn’t mean you’ll recoup that investment. A good realtor will explain what
enhances or depreciates the value of your home in a way that you can accept.
Another surefire way to find the right realtor is to talk to neighbors and look
at the real estate ads. See who is really active, knows your area and has had
success in selling homes there. When you find a realtor who seems to fit, go
beyond personality and style and ask some critical questions. Talk to them about
their marketing plan. Do they have a user-friendly Web site so you can easily
see what other homes are for sale in your neighborhood? Do they plan to hold
open houses on a regular basis? Do they have clients already interested in homes
like yours? Are they a member of the Multiple Listing Service? If not, why? It’s
important that the realtor stay on top of details, so ask if he or she has a
support staff to make the essential follow-up phone calls to prospective buyers
after a showing. No news is never good news, but you deserve to get the
feedback. A good realtor will use it to modify a marketing plan or suggest a
price change.
Communication is the key to a good buying experience. Your
expectations and time frame are big considerations when choosing a buyer’s
agent. Again, you need to assess who really understands the market and can
pinpoint homes that fit your criteria. Know what you can afford, where you want
to buy and what details your dream home should have! If you are someone who
needs to move quickly, make sure you find a realtor who can jump right in.
Nothing can be more frustrating that waiting for a phone to ring and for
appointments to be set when you’re in a hurry. If someone doesn’t return your
phone call in a timely manner, move on and find someone else. On the other hand,
you may just be starting out on a home buying quest and only interested in
getting a general feel for what’s available. Share that with the realtor and see
if they’d still like to work on your behalf under those
circumstances.
The average person will only purchase or sell real estate
a few times in their lives. Because your home may be your biggest investment, it
pays to do the research and take the time to find the right realtor to represent
you on this great financial adventure.
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