Buying a house is one of the major decisions you make in your life. There is no doubt that you will be doing lots of research before choosing that one right place, but it is always better to have guidance on this journey. That is where the real estate agent comes and it is important to choose the right real estate agent.
So, how to pick the right real estate agent?
1. Referrals
Though we live in a digital era, nothing is as trustable as word of mouth. Ask your friends, family, colleagues, gym buddy, whoever you can think of to refer a good real estate agent. When you are asking for referrals, try to be specific with your requirements. For example, if you are buying a house for the first time, take reference from someone who bought their first house.
Likewise, be specific about your budget, house type, locality, etc.
2. Do your own research
It doesn’t hurt to do your own research also, right? The best place to start your own research is the internet. Lookout of agents profiles, reviews, and credentials. If an agent has a good online profile with all the required details, it just increases the authenticity of the agent. Apart from online research, you can also look out for ADs given by the agents and visit a few open houses to get a first-hand experience from a particular agent.
3. Choose the best
Do not finalize the first agent you see. Try to have a list of agents and choose the best 3 among them. Cross-check their credentials – qualification, certifications, membership in real estate associations. Have a few conversations with them and see how comfortable you are. Learn about the current real estate trends and check whether the agent has enough market knowledge. Make sure they thoroughly know the neighborhood you are looking for. Ask for their previous clients’ contact and have a chat with them to know their experience with the agent. This might look like an extensive process but can help you to choose the best among the three.
4. Ask for the process
We all know that buying a house is a tedious, time consuming and exhaustive process. So ask the agent to explain the entire process. See if he is flexible to change certain steps as per your requirement. Establish the communication channels and make sure he will be available and will be easily accessible during each step of the buying process.
5. Transparency
Transparency is the most important thing while choosing a real estate agent. There is a lot of money and risk involved in this process. Make sure the agent will have a contract in place and the commission will be decided beforehand. Ask for the agent’s risk mitigation measures. The agent should always have your best intention in mind. If at any point in the process, you feel like it is not going as per your requirements, you should be able to call it out or in the worst case should be able to change the agent. Discuss all this before signing your real estate agent.
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