Selecting Your Real Estate Agent
* The Agent brings the market to you. The market brings your price.
* The right Agent is the one who knows the market and can get you the
best price possible - not the one who promises you the highest price
just to get you to list with them!
Many of the same questions, hesitations and strategies connected with
seeking out professional assistance in any field - whether you're looking
for a doctor, dentist, lawyer or accountant - come into play when you're
selecting a real estate agent.
Some people find an agent through a family member or friend. This is
often a reliable approach. But you might not always find the most compatible
assistance this way. And in a transaction as important and intensive
as buying and selling a home, that can be critical.
A referral from a family member or friend doesn't guarantee a perfect
match. Just think of something as simple as a movie or restaurant recommendation.
Your close friends rave about a new Chinese food place downtown - so
you check it out. Could this possibly be the same restaurant they were
describing? Mediocre service. No chopsticks. Bland flavors. It's the
same restaurant. Same cook. Same waiters. Just different perceptions.
Regardless of how you get an agent's name, it might be worth interviewing
at least a couple before you make a final decision - or at least arming
yourself with some criteria to go over with any agent who has been recommended
to you.
A few things to look for:
