If you are thinking about investing in real estate, one of the most important people in the decision is your real estate agent. Your real estate agent is responsible for helping you with three main things: finding a good property, helping you get your offer accepted, and finally guiding you through the escrow process to make sure you are protected.
Here are the best ways to make sure you find a real estate agent that fits your needs the best.
- Ask for Recommendations: Start by asking friends, family, and colleagues if they can recommend a real estate agent they’ve had a positive experience with. Personal recommendations can be very valuable.
- Check Online Channels: Google, Zillow, and other websites are great places to find some options that are not recommendations from people you know.
- Post on Forums: there are many online forums that have real estate agents on there. For example, if you are on Facebook you can look up a Facebook group for real estate professionals in an area you are looking to buy and you can post on there that you are looking for an agent.
Doing these three things should help you get a list of agents that may or may not fit your needs. I would make sure to get at least three options from each channel. It’s important to now go through this list of potential options are narrow down the options.
- Review Experience and Specialization: Look for agents with experience in the type of property you’re interested in (e.g., single-family homes, condos, luxury properties, etc.). Also, consider their experience in the specific area where you want to buy.
- Check Online Reviews: Look for real estate agents in your desired area and read online reviews and ratings. Websites like Zillow, Realtor.com, or Yelp can provide insights into an agent’s reputation.
- Interview Agent: Interviewing an agent will be a great way to get a feel for the agent and see if they will be a good option for you.
Finally, once you have done all this it’s important to go through your options and pick an agent to work with. Picking the right agent should come down to three main things.
- Experience: you will want an agent with a track record specifically with properties you are looking for.
- Personality: Working with an agent is a very personal process and it’s important you are working with someone you get along with. You will need someone who is able to listen to your needs and find what’s best for you.
- Availability: your agent might check off all the boxes but if they are not available to speak and help you tour homes you won’t be able to get your dream home.
If you want to download our real estate interview questionnaire, fill out your email here, and we will send you a PDF version and an Excel version of the interview.