Notice, our title is not in the form of a question...that's because we wanted to tell you what REALLY makes a quality Real Estate Agent. All the things mentioned are important and praiseworthy. However, if you can find all in ONE Realtor® (or a Team....wink wink), you've hit the jackpot!
1. A Realtor® who knows every detail of information about a home or market area
Don't expect your Realtor® to have all the answers right off the bat.. that's ok. We don't sit and rehearse the the square footage of each home when we are showing it to you and we don't always have 100% memory of what something in an area sold for in the past. This doesn't represent a bad quality in an agent. It just means we are human. What you want to look for is someone who is ready and willing to find out the answer. This means they are invested in you and will do the footwork.
What's MORE important is a Realtor® who has a strong knowledge of contract law and negotiation. THIS is the reason why you hire a Realtor® in the first place. You need to be properly advised and educated on what you're signing. Contracts are constantly changing and agents should stay up to date on all of this. Also, we are not the ones that can make a decision for you, so make sure you fully understand in order to feel 100% comfortable with your decisions.
2. A Realtor® that works for a reputable, well-known franchise
Just because the franchise gives off a certain vibe or feeling when you watch their commercial, doesn't mean you'll be satisfied with the service of an agent who works for that franchise. At the end of the day, Realtors® are independent contractors and can make their own decisions with how they conduct their business.
What's MORE important is a Realtor® who has proven success stories. Look at the individual. Ask them to look at their stats. How many transactions have they closed? How long have they been in business? What is their success rate?
3. A Realtor® who gives you a lot of attention initially
Don't be fooled. We've heard of a lot of complaints of buyers and sellers getting into escrow and not receiving communication from their Realtor® after that....the most critical time TO COMMUNICATE!
What's MORE important is a Realtor® that'll hold your hand from the beginning to the end of a process. But how can you guarantee that will happen? Testimonials from past clients can give you an idea of what kind of Realtor® you're hiring........so below is a BONUS question to ask a Realtor® before deciding who to work with!
BONUS QUESTION- What percentage of your business/successful closings come from REPEAT clients?
- This will show the experience and CLIENT RETENTION of the Realtor®
- This will show the experience of the clients who write the testimonials. That means those buyers/sellers were so satisfied with that Realtor® they used them multiple times. They were communicated with, represented, and satisfied with the type of service they received.