How to find a good real estate agent

When you are moving it is absolutely normal to be stressed and feel overwhelmed. Moving and looking for movers is one of the top stressors in life. Right along with the death of a loved one, divorce, illness, and job loss. So, how can you make dealing with relocation little less stressful and more enjoyable? Believe it or not, there are things you can do to make this process a positive experience. You will probably ask yourself so many questions and do a lot of research. But before you conduct any of this relocation, you want to find a good real estate agent that will help you with this process. And then you don’t have to wonder anymore, just ask your real estate agent all you want to know. This will definitely be a positive experience and it will lower the tension of moving.

How to find a reliable real estate agent

When moving, you need to find a good real estate agent to conduct your relocation

Once you have decided to move to another city or neighborhood, or you are becoming a first-time homeowner, you will need to find a place to live. When you are looking to purchase real estate, you can easily get overwhelmed in the search for a new home. This can be a complicated process for anyone, especially for first-time home buyers. It is such a huge investment that involves a lot of legal procedures, paperwork, and time. That is why you need to find a good real estate agent. There are many tips you can follow to make your search for realtors and a home-buying experience easier.

• Talk with recent clients
• Look up the licensing
• Select an agent with the right credentials
• Find out how long the real estate agent has been in business
• Look at current listings
• Ask about other houses for sale nearby

Look up the licensing

Check the authenticity of real estate agent you want to hire by looking up his licensing

Every State in the USA has boards that license and discipline real estate agents. Check with your state’s regulatory body to find out if a prospective agent is licensed. Also, check if there have been any disciplinary actions or complaints. This information may be posted online.

Talk with recent clients

You should ask realtors to give you a list of real estates they’ve sold in the past year, including contact information. Start reaching out to people the agent has worked with, and before that ask if anyone will be pleased or disappointed. With past clients, you would like to know what the asking price was. Then, you would like to know what the sales price was. If you’re selling, ask if the previous properties were similar to yours in price, location and other salient features.

Select an agent with the right credentials

Real estate agents have specialties, like doctors. The alphabet soup after an agent’s name can be an indication that the person has taken additional classes in a certain category of real estate sales. Here’s what some of the designations mean:

• • CRS (Certified Residential Specialist): Completed additional training in handling the residential real estate.
  • ABR (Accredited Buyer’s Representative): Completed additional education in representing buyers in transactions.
  • SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist): Completed training aimed at helping buyers and sellers in the 50-plus age range.

  • Find out how long the real estate agent has been in business

    A state licensing authority should tell you how long an real estate agent has been in business. You can also just ask the realtor directly. In the end, what you’re looking for is someone who is actively occupied with a particular area and price range. The realtor needs to have the necessary knowledge of the potential homes that are in your range. Also, a good real estate agent should demonstrate what kind of market presence he has.

Your real estate agent should show you how well he knows the market

• Look at current listings

Check out the agent’s listings online. Search the agency’s website or other official sites. Those official sites offer an online database of properties in the Multiple Listing Service. Most buyers start their search on the internet, and you want an agent who uses that tool effectively. One of the most important things is an attractive presentation on the web. Look at how closely the agent’s listings mirror the property you want to buy.

Ask about other houses for sale nearby

A good real estate agent should know all about other properties in the area that are accessible. Tell him about a house in your area that is for sale or it’s sold recently. If the agent knows the property and can give you a few details, that means he or she really knows your area. You want a real estate agent like that, the one who is on top of the market.

Attend open houses

Open houses are a long-standing tradition in the sale of residential real estate to expose more people to a home for sale

When you go to open houses, you can encounter with realtors in a  working environment that is non-threatening and you can interact with them. Collect business cards and make notes on them. If you’re thinking about selling your home, pay attention to how the agent is showing the home. Pay attention if she is polite and informative and if she hands out professional-looking promotional material about the home? Is she trying to sell features of the home?

Check if the agent is a part of a team

Working with a team can have many benefits, but the relationship you will have with the other members should be clarified from the get-go. The members of a team have more experience. It’s absolutely normal that one has more knowledge of some specific situations than another. However, it should be disclosed up front if the team plans for you to work with one real estate agent the duration of the transaction, or if you will be meeting with different people at different times.

It’s important that the agent listens to you and your demands