Choosing the right Real Estate Agent

Choosing the right real estate agent is one of the most important decisions that you will make when you’re ready to buy a home. An experienced agent can help you steer the buying process with less stress, whereas a not-so-experienced might make the process harder on you than it needs to be. Your goal when you’re ready to choose a real estate agent is to find someone whom you can communicate well with, and who has your best interests and have the same goals—not just about buying a house, but doing so in a way that prioritizes your needs as a buyer and gets you the best home possible for the right price.

There are steps that you can do in getting the right agent. Below are the things that all buyers should look for when they’re going to choose a real estate agent to help them with their home search.

What should you look for when you choose a real estate agent?

A good real estate agent should have a set of skills that makes him/her a top choice when somebody is looking to buy a home. So what are these skills? They vary depending on your needs, but at the very minimum you should choose a real estate agent who has these five key qualities.

Good communication
Successfully buying a home is as much about communication between buyer and agent — and vice versa — as it is about open houses and inspections. Be sure to hire an agent whom you can communicate well with, and who is willing and able to answer any questions you might have about the home buying process.

Reliable experience
It’s important to ask of how long they’ve been buying and selling homes, but don’t forget to dig a little bit deeper into their experience. Ask about their average list-price-to-sale-price ratio, as well as the amount of time it typically takes their clients to find and close on their new home. You’ll want to choose a real estate agent who has a proven track record of getting buyers into homes fast (and getting them a great deal, too).

Strong local market knowledge
Every market is different. Whether you’re buying in a city, the suburbs, or the country, you’ll want a real estate agent who knows local market trends and patterns and who can help guide you through the nuances of your specific locality. A good way to assess local market knowledge is simply to ask. Inquire about the basics, like average time on the market for newly listed homes and average sale prices, but also ask about any unique trends regarding your local market that you should know about.

Positive reviews
Online reviews are one of your best assets when it comes to choosing a realtor. Read all of the reviews that you can find before selecting who you’ll work with, and look for an agent whose previous clients have only positive things to say about their experiences.

Personal rapport
Ultimately, you want to choose a realtor who you get along with. You’re going to be spending a lot of time together, so it’s important to work with someone whose company you enjoy, and who you just genuinely feel understands your needs.

Ready to find an agent? Here’s how to do it

Finding a great real estate agent to help you buy a home won’t take you too much time if you know where (and how) to look.

Start by asking friends, families, coworkers, and anyone else whose opinion you trust on the matter if they have any local agent referrals. Previous buyers are one of your best assets for finding an agent, since they can speak honestly about their own experiences. Plus, you can trust that if someone you know is giving you a recommendation, chances are it’s because they enjoyed working with that agent and would work with them again.

If you don’t have anybody who you can ask for a referral, head to the internet. Browse agents in your area, then pull out a few names of agents you’re interested in working with and do a bit more research. Look to their reviews and their portfolio for information that can help guide your decision. Be sure to consider whether you have any unique needs that you’d like to find an agent with experience in, for example if you’re looking to do a military relocation or if you need a short term rental during the buying process.

When to start your real estate agent search

By now you hopefully know how to choose a real estate agent, but what about when?

The timing of your search will depend on a couple of things, including your familiarity and comfort with the home buying process, your unique needs (if any), and your other commitments and responsibilities. In general, however, it’s always going to be better to start your search sooner rather than later.

As a good rule of thumb, start your realtor search as soon as you know your timeframe for buying. Even if you don’t plan to purchase a home for another six months or a year, there’s no harm in beginning your research and narrowing down your options to a list of well-rounded agents. Most agents will not mind answering all of your questions even if you’re not ready to buy quite yet, since it could mean future business for them.

Ready to buy a Home?

If you’re thinking of buying a home in southport connecticut area and need some help, we’re here for you.

Ruspini Realty is committed to assisting a diverse group of people in a wide range of house values from the starter home to the prestigious property. We list, market and sell homes fast for the benefit of both buyers and sellers alike.

We have over 15 years of experience in buying and selling homes in Fairfield County, New Haven County,
Litchfield County and adjacent areas.