The top tip from most experts on how to choose the best agent? Interview more than one.
In today's market, hiring the right real estate agent has never been more important. Hiring the wrong agent can lead to an unfruitful buying process with seemingly endless home viewings, or delay the sale of your home adding unnecessary days-on-market. It's best to interview a few candidates to see if they know the market and to find out who would be a good fit with you and your lifestyle. Good advice on choosing an agent is to take your time. You don’t have to go with the first person you talk to. It may be the easiest thing to do to go with a referral from a friend or family member, but sometimes it’s not the smartest thing to do. Below are a few guidelines you should keep in mind.
1. Good brokerages only partner with good agents
The brokerage that an agent is working for can be a very good indicator of the quality of the agent, and Compass is keen on partnering with the few that meet their high quality and production standards. Compass agents, like the Rosenhagen Team, also often get the highest sales price on their listings by offering a Concierge program paying for home fixes and updates upfront, which is reimbursed only when you close (at no extra cost or fees).
2. Good agents ask a lot of questions
No one likes one-sided conversations where the listener is buried with jargon and promises. You are looking for an agent who wants to know your needs and desires in the interest of establishing a long-term relationship that aims to serve you and will protect you. A good agent will help you think through your personal situation and motivations, and ask you the questions that a lot of people wouldn’t normally think of in an effort to create peace of mind and confidence in a successful outcome.
Buying or selling property is a life-changing financial decision, and it’s important to find an agent who shows empathy and understanding for your unique situation.
3. Chemistry is key
A good agent knows that over-communication is good communication. It’s important to calmly lead a client through all the steps of the process, and help you understand the market. Your agent should be busy and very experienced with the constant changes in the market cycle, nuances of individual neighborhoods, style of homes within specific neighborhoods, and be hyper sensitive to the value growth potential your home offers as your primary investment. Above all, the chemistry you have with your agent is key — it’s an indication of how you will interact with them during a deeply personal time in your life. Buying or selling property is a life-changing financial decision, and it’s important to find an agent who shows empathy and understanding for your unique situation.
4. Find someone who has your best interests at heart
Be honest and transparent about what you’re looking for, and if an agent isn’t bringing you the right options, it’s likely they aren’t looking for houses for you but rather to benefit themselves. Be receptive to an agent’s feedback to your questions. Not only is that a good way to get a read on an agent’s professionalism and honesty, but it can lead you to conclusions or realizations you might not have otherwise reached. Sometimes the answers you get are not always going to be the answers you necessarily want, but a good agent’s sole focus always has your best interests at heart.
Let us know if we can help you. Contact us at 303-520-5976, or rosenhagenteam@compass.com