Mortgage, Smart Spending

5 Keys to Finding a Good Realtor

Before you decide to contact the nearest licensed Realtor, or a friend or relative who is a real estate agent, you would do better if you first took a little time to find one that you know will really work to sell your home. Not every Realtor will work hard for you, but knowing a few tips on how do you find a Realtor can go a long way toward getting a Realtor worth having.

Decide What Kind of Services You Want

Realtors come in all kinds and flavors. In order to find out which one is ideal for your purposes you will have to know exactly what you want in the first place. For instance, are you looking for one who will just list your home and show people your house when they get a chance? Or, do you want someone who will aggressively market it for you and do all they can to show it and sell it? Do you want someone to take charge of the situation, or do you want someone who will follow your lead? Do you want a Realtor with lots of experience and sales, or are you willing to accept anyone with a license? Of course, only you can answer these questions, but they will need to be answered before you start looking.

In addition to the above, you also want to find a Realtor based on their availability, says BankRate. If the only time you have to show your home is on weekends, then you need to choose a Realtor who will also be available on weekends.

Talk to People Who Have Sold Homes Recently

Finding a good Realtor should start with people you know who have recently sold a home. Talking to them will enable you to quickly discover who they liked and who would probably not be a good candidate to sell your home. They will also be able to tell you what the Realtor did for them, and things that they did not do but probably should have done.

Avoid Going with the Realtor Offering Lowest Commission

Most real estate commissions get split between two different agents. This means that they already know which ones will give them the most money for their work. It still is true that you get what you pay for, says RealEstateABC,com, and a lower commission will generally mean less effort on their part – especially if homes with larger commissions are available to be shown to interested buyers.

Drive Around the Area and See Whose Name Is Most Popular

Driving around your neighborhood will help you to see not only who may be the most popular real estate agent, but it will probably also indicate an individual who is both aggressive and a top sales agent, says Realtor.com. Word has gotten out about that agent and people want his or her services.

Discover How a Realtor Typically Markets a Home for Sale

When it comes to advertising, many Realtors do little more than simply giving home owners an MLS listing and a sign for their front yard. Others may also post it online. The truth is you need much more than these basics if you want your home to be seen by a lot more people, says Gerry Willis at CNN.Money.com. You also want it to be marketed online and offline, such as in newspapers, flyers, posted on community bulletin boards, and more.

Before you decide to contact the nearest licensed Realtor, or a friend or relative who is a real estate agent, you would do better if you first took a little time to find one that you know will really work to sell your home. Not every Realtor will work hard for you, but knowing a few tips on how do you find a Realtor can go a long way toward getting a Realtor worth having.

Decide What Kind of Services You Want

Realtors come in all kinds and flavors. In order to find out which one is ideal for your purposes you will have to know exactly what you want in the first place. For instance, are you looking for one who will just list your home and show people your house when they get a chance? Or, do you want someone who will aggressively market it for you and do all they can to show it and sell it? Do you want someone to take charge of the situation, or do you want someone who will follow your lead? Do you want a Realtor with lots of experience and sales, or are you willing to accept anyone with a license? Of course, only you can answer these questions, but they will need to be answered before you start looking.

In addition to the above, you also want to find a Realtor based on their availability, says BankRate. If the only time you have to show your home is on weekends, then you need to choose a Realtor who will also be available on weekends.

Talk to People Who Have Sold Homes Recently

Finding a good Realtor should start with people you know who have recently sold a home. Talking to them will enable you to quickly discover who they liked and who would probably not be a good candidate to sell your home. They will also be able to tell you what the Realtor did for them, and things that they did not do but probably should have done.

Avoid Going with the Realtor Offering Lowest Commission

Most real estate commissions get split between two different agents. This means that they already know which ones will give them the most money for their work. It still is true that you get what you pay for, says RealEstateABC,com, and a lower commission will generally mean less effort on their part – especially if homes with larger commissions are available to be shown to interested buyers.

Drive Around the Area and See Whose Name Is Most Popular

Driving around your neighborhood will help you to see not only who may be the most popular real estate agent, but it will probably also indicate an individual who is both aggressive and a top sales agent, says Realtor.com. Word has gotten out about that agent and people want his or her services.

Discover How a Realtor Typically Markets a Home for Sale

When it comes to advertising, many Realtors do little more than simply giving home owners an MLS listing and a sign for their front yard. Others may also post it online. The truth is you need much more than these basics if you want your home to be seen by a lot more people, says Gerry Willis at CNN.Money.com. You also want it to be marketed online and offline, such as in newspapers, flyers, posted on community bulletin boards, and more.