Choosing A Real Estate Agent: Red Flags To Watch Out For
With the online resources around these days it has never been easier to be informed about the best way to go about selling or buying a home. But all those tools you can access will not help you choose the right real estate agent, for that you need to go old school.
With the right agent you could buy or sell a home quickly, with the wrong one, you could end up with nothing but a lot of wasted time. If you are planning on either selling your home or buying a new one, it is imperative that you choose the right real estate agent the first time.
With that in mind here are some red flags to watch out for when shopping for an agent:
They are a hobby agent
An agent who is into real estate only as a hobby is often not going to be as knowledgeable as one who works with the market all day long, day after day. You need someone who knows the market like the back of his or her hand and that means a full time real estate agent.
You should also look for someone who has worked in the neighborhood before and who has a proven track record of success there.
They don’t want to discuss how they do things
Transparency is important in just about every aspect of life and that is no different when it comes to real estate. Your agent should be willing to go over how they do business and be able to answer any questions you have. If you feel like they are hiding something, it is time to interview a different agent.
We are talking about big money here so you don’t want to waste any time and money on a shady agent.
They are not open to answering questions
You should be able to ask any questions you want, whether it is about the deal itself or the market in general. If you have an agent that is not listening to you or who is unwilling to answer your questions, get a new one.
They make you feel like a pain
There is nothing worse than being made to feel like you are being tiresome. If your agent ever makes you feel like you are being a pain, they are not a very good one. Their people skills need to be good because you could be spending a lot of time with this person, you want to be able to stand being around him or her.
They don’t listen to your needs and wants
When you are shopping for a new home and you first meet with potential real estate agents they will ask you what you want and need in your new home. If they don’t listen and keep showing you homes that are nothing like what you are looking for, drop them, you don’t have the time to waste.
They are not open to giving you references
Of all the points on this list, this might be the most important. It is essential, I will say it again, essential, that you get references and several of them. If a real estate agent cannot provide any references of their services then there is something wrong and this should be a huge red flag.
Keep these tips in mind when shopping for a real estate agent and you will find that you get what you need with a lot less stress.