4 Traits to Look for in Your Next Real Estate Agent
If you are looking to purchase a home, you need to enlist a real estate to help you with your search. A great real estate agent can make a huge difference in finding the right home in a timely manner. When it comes to finding a great real estate agent, there are some traits you need to look for.
#1: Provides Lots of References
Most real estate agents will work with hundreds of people over the course of a year, so it shouldn't be hard for a real estate agent to have ten or twenty references that they may offer you. These may be written references or recorded references, as everyone they worked with may not want to take potential calls from future clients all the time, but a real estate agent should be able to easily provide you with twenty testimonials or statements from individuals they have worked within the last year.
#2: Understands Your Motivation
Second, you want to work with a real estate agent who understands your motivation for buying a home. A great real estate agent, in your initial interview, will ask why you are looking to purchase a home. Someone looking for something they can fix-up, verses an investment property versus a move-in-ready property are all looking for very different things. You want to work with a real estate agent who works to understand your motivation, as they are more likely to find a home you want to purchase.
#3: Understands Your Timeframe
Third, you want to work with an agent who asks you what type of timeframe you are working with. You want an agent who is ready to accommodate your buying speed, regardless of if you are content to take your time to find the right how, or you need to finalize a sale within the next two months. You want to work with a real estate agent who understands and respects your timeframe.
#4: Knows the Area
A real estate agent who really understands the local area will be able to do a much better job at finding a home that fits your criteria than someone who doesn't really know the area. For example, if you want to live in a certain school district, or you want a home that is walking distance to a park or to nearby shops, an agent who already understands the layout will have a much easier time finding a home that fits that criteria than an agent who has to learn about the neighborhood first.
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