WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN CHOOSING A REALTOR
When choosing a Realtor, you want to make sure they are honest, know the market, communicate well, emanate confidence + is someone who you can connect with.
You’ve picked your ideal neighborhood, set your budget, and made the final decision you want to purchase a home. But now comes the hard part: where to begin.
With soaring home prices and inventory shortages, you might be filled with anxiety at the thought of finding your dream house. The good news, however, is you don’t have to do it all alone. Arguably the most important first step in your home buying journey is choosing your real estate agent. According to a National Association of Realtors report, 88% of buyers recently purchased their home through a real estate broker, and for good reason. Real estate agents will be your guide as you find your perfect home and make it to the closing table. They will walk you through everything you need to know and provide resources you can’t find anywhere else.
But the thing is, finding an agent can be a really big job, so you must choose carefully. To get stellar results, you likely can’t just randomly choose an agent out of the vast real estate sea they swim in. We know this might sound like a lot of pressure, so we’re here to make it a little less daunting. With the help of a few veteran real estate professionals, we created a handy 17-step guide for how to pick a real estate agent, getting you that much closer to homeownership.
Think about what’s most important to you
Everyone is different and everyone has their own priorities, especially when it comes to the homebuying process. Decide what qualities are most important to you in an agent and seek them out in your candidates.
The client/agent relationship can be equated to that of a student and teacher. Just like every student learns differently, every buyer processes their home search in a different way. Get a head start by thinking about what attributes in an agent will best complement your needs.
For example, what communication style are you looking for? Do you prefer to text, talk on the phone, or email? Do you want someone who can immediately get back to you on correspondence, or are you more flexible? Do you need super-personalized attention, or do you prefer for an agent to gauge your lifestyle and preferences and then take the reins accordingly?
Leverage technology
While old-fashioned methods of picking a real estate agent like referrals and for-sale signs are valuable in your search, the ever-evolving internet offers a wealth of immediate resources. In fact, 97% of buyers, an all time high, used the internet for their home search in 2020.
There are tools available that can do all the meticulous grunt work for you, like combing through sales records, identifying top agents with proven track records who work with buyers like you. One service with a built-in algorithm that produces customized results for buyers is HomeLight’s very own agent-matching tool.
On top of that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, more agents are utilizing technology themselves and offering online services to make your life a little easier. Many agents offer online bookings, virtual tours, electronic paperwork/signings, and even 3D, 360-degree views inside homes. In the next few years,more technology such as drone footage, artificial intelligence and virtual reality may become more popular as well.
Get referrals from friends and family
Trusted referrals from your personal network — be they friends or family — are a powerful tool for finding a real estate agent. When faced with a seemingly endless number of options, having someone point you in the direction of an agent they had a positive, successful experience with is invaluable.
Besides providing great service throughout the homebuying process, pay attention to the agents who went above and beyond and made a lasting impression. After all, according to the NAR, 91% of buyers would use their agent again or recommend them to others.
It also pays to be careful with referrals, though. Your friends and family have different financial circumstances, may want to live in different neighborhoods, and almost certainly have different priorities when it comes to buying a house. An agent who was perfect for your sister or childhood best friend might not be a great fit for you.
Think about what you’re looking for in a home
This might seem like a step better suited to when you actually have a real estate agent, but hear us out. Kauffman says it’s important to go into your agent search with a picture of what you want in a home, including the area, type of house (i.e., single-family vs condo), budget, etc. You don’t have to have all the details nailed down, but at least a general idea will help.
Once you have this knowledge, you can find an agent who is better tailored to your needs and has worked with similar clients. After all, you don’t want to waste your time looking at agents who only work far outside your price range or with homes you don’t want to explore.
Do on-the-ground research
When it comes to finding a winning real estate agent, it might be helpful to think like a journalist or a detective. A little creative investigation can go a long way.
One way you can do this is by driving around the area where you’re most interested in buying. Look for “for sale” signs, and then do some research on the listing agents. These are the agents who already know these neighborhoods well. That alone gives them a leg up, and if they otherwise align with your needs, then you’ve got a solid candidate.