When buying or selling a home, getting the help of a real estate agent is a lifesaver for many people. With their expertise, real estate agents can help people navigate the real estate market and get the best deals possible. However, choosing the wrong agent can actually make this process worse instead of improving it. To avoid falling into this trap, here are the top five tips for choosing your next real estate agent.
Hire an agent from a well-respected company:
If a real estate agent has the backing of a high-quality company like Compass real estate, this means they’re knowledgeable, dependable and one of the top agents you could work with. Additionally, Compass provides industry-leading technology for their agents to help them truly understand your market, so you can find the best deals whether you’re buying or selling.
Check reviews:
Before you choose your next real estate agent, it’s important that you check reviews to find out what other people’s experiences have been like with particular agents. On sites like Zillow, Google, and Yelp, you’ll be able to see what’s positive about certain agents and what their downsides are. If there are too many red flags, this will prevent you from making a bad choice and being stuck with an incompetent or dishonest real estate agent.
Get referrals from friends and family:
If you’d rather trust the opinions of your friends and family than strangers on the internet, then listening to recommendations from people you know could be a great way to find a new real estate agent. Since your friends and family know your situation very well, they’ll potentially be able to provide better recommendations for you than online reviews, although it’s still a good idea to check these reviews to be sure.
Look into the agent’s experience:
It’s important to make sure that your next real estate agent has the right experience to help you find what you need. For example, even if an agent has a lot of experience in real estate, they’re not going to be right for you if they specialize in selling commercial properties and you’re hoping to sell your home. This is why you should research each agent you’re considering to see if you’ll be a good match.
Meet with a few agents:
You may be tempted to just go ahead once you’ve found an agent you like, but if you don’t compare them with other real estate agents, you won’t know if you’ve actually found the best person for you. It’s a good idea to meet with a few different real estate agents to see what their personalities are like and ask them some questions about how they work.
Choosing your next real estate agent doesn’t have to be a chore. As long as you check reviews, ask for referrals, research agents’ experience, meet with agents, and look at well-respected real estate companies like Compass, you’ll be able to find a real estate agent who understands what you’re looking for and has the expertise to help you find it.
