Agent Search
Whether you're selling or buying a home, a real estate agent can speed the process and make sure
it goes smoothly and profitably. But first, you have to be sure you have the right realtor.
Gabby Hyman has written for print and online media for more than 20 years. He has created online content for eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Avaya, and Nissan UK. He has also been a web consultant to the Governor of California. As an author of fiction, journalism, and poetry, Gabby is a former English professor for the University of Illinois, University of Alaska, and Old Dominion University. He holds an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Alabama.
Weighing the Benefits of Realtors®
A good real estate agent can certainly help manage the often-intimidating exchange between homebuyers and sellers. The best buyer's agents are adept in negotiating appraisals and contracts, in working on financing and closing issues, and in focusing the search for models, neighborhoods, and prices in the shopper's range.
A good real estate agent can certainly help manage the often-intimidating exchange between homebuyers and sellers. The best buyer's agents are adept in negotiating appraisals and contracts, in working on financing and closing issues, and in focusing the search for models, neighborhoods, and prices in the shopper's range.
For the seller, a skillful Realtor® or real estate agent can position homes in a competitive market, make sure that the property
is listed strategically, and increase the chances that it is seen by prospective buyers. A responsive agent will help the seller evaluate
bids and closing costs.
However, before signing a contract with a real estate agent, it is imperative to evaluate the Realtor's® history, reputation, and above all else,
their commitment to personalized service.
Get It All on Paper
Traditionally, people begin evaluating agents by asking friends, neighbors, and family members about their experience with local Realtors®. Sellers can invite prospective agents to the house and ask for an initial consultation on the property and a presentation of services leading up to a sale. Questions might include whether the agent:
Traditionally, people begin evaluating agents by asking friends, neighbors, and family members about their experience with local Realtors®. Sellers can invite prospective agents to the house and ask for an initial consultation on the property and a presentation of services leading up to a sale. Questions might include whether the agent:
- Is licensed
- Understands the local market and can establish fair pricing
- Has historical sales data for the neighborhood
- Is working full or part-time
- Belongs to a Multiple Listing Service
- Plans to share listings with other brokers
- Has references for whom he/she has sold or bought property
- Will pre-qualify buyers
- Is willing to negotiate commissions
Now, with services on the Internet, sellers and buyers alike can evaluate representation without leaving home. Online sites like GuideToRealty.com
match consumers with up to four buying and selling real estate agents based on localized profiles. The appropriate agent then contacts the customer
and develops a proposal. Some websites also help customers calculate property valuation.
Agents should be selected for their flexibility and commitment to reach the best arrangement for the customer. For the seller, this may mean finding
a Realtor® that is willing to sacrifice his/her commission by percentage points if it helps further the sale. For the buyer, a solid relationship
with an agent means finding a Realtor® that can devote time and energy in negotiating closing costs rather than spreading themselves thin over a
large roster of clients.
Bottom Lines
Whether the agent works online or in person, customers must remember that contracts are binding! Buyers should resist signing an exclusive agency agreement until they are convinced that they have the agent that they want to work with over the course of the sale. Contracts can bind buyers to pay a commission to a Realtor® even if they switch to someone else after an initial poor performance. Read the fine print.
Whether the agent works online or in person, customers must remember that contracts are binding! Buyers should resist signing an exclusive agency agreement until they are convinced that they have the agent that they want to work with over the course of the sale. Contracts can bind buyers to pay a commission to a Realtor® even if they switch to someone else after an initial poor performance. Read the fine print.
Sellers should ultimately aim to sign a contract for 90 days or less. Once snagged into a six or nine-month agreement, they may end up
making mortgage payments on their old spread while their agent takes a leisurely time selling it off. An agent can only be expected to perform
due diligence if customers do the same before signing on the dotted line.
Gabby Hyman has written for print and online media for more than 20 years. He has created online content for eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Avaya, and Nissan UK. He has also been a web consultant to the Governor of California. As an author of fiction, journalism, and poetry, Gabby is a former English professor for the University of Illinois, University of Alaska, and Old Dominion University. He holds an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Alabama.