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How to Choose a Real Estate Agent
Did you ever take a basic Psychology class? In it they will talk about events in our lives that
cause stress. Some of these are positive and some are negative, but they both cause stress. For
example, they talk about getting married, experiencing the death of someone close to you, starting
a new job and guess what else?
You got it: MOVING!
The majority of the customers I have ever dealt with are moving because they want to, not because
they are forced to. So you would think of this as a positive thing, but it still causes stress. So
my question to you is this. If you know that moving has the potential of being a stress-causing
event, don't you want to make it as easy on yourself as possible? You don't want to be working with
an agent that makes things more stressful. Whether you're buying a house, selling a house or both;
you want to be working with an agent that helps relieve your stress, not add to it.
You may be thinking to yourself that basically all agents are going to be the same. But this really
isn't true. Real estate agents, like any other humans are going to have different personalities. Why
would you work with someone who grates against your nerves? Why would you work with an agent with
very little experience in this position? Doesn't it make sense to pick one that works as a full
time agent and has been doing this long enough that they know what they are doing? Actually there
are several different things you should consider when choosing an agent. Here are some to think
about:
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Find out if the agent is a member of the local, state and national Board of
REALTORS®.
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Find out if the agent is a member of the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS).
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Find out how much experience the agent has.
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How available is this agent? Can you only reach him during certain hours of certain days or
is he available when it is convenient for you?
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If you are buying a home, here are some additional items to think about:
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You're going to want to be kept informed of property that fits your needs as soon as
it hits the market. Find out how this agent is going to keep you informed.
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Most likely you will need financing. Can this agent explain the basics of what is
available and help you find a lender that will meet your needs?
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Does this agent listen to you? You need an agent that will listen to what you want,
need and can afford; not try to force you into something he or she wants you to buy.
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If you are selling a home, here are some additional items to think about:
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Does the agent have a marketing plan for your property?
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Can the agent explain to you exactly what is going to happen during the selling
process? In other words, besides the marketing that he will do what else can you
expect from the agent and what does the agent expect from you?
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Will this agent keep you informed of what's going on concerning your listing?
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Make sure you find a professional, not a "yes" man. A professional will help you
price your property at what the market will actually pay. A "yes" man will price it
at anything you want, just to get the listing. This may sound good on the surface,
but it will hurt you in the long run.
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Will this agent return your phone calls in a timely manner?
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Last but not least, find out what previous customers say about this agent.
I hope I have convinced you that not all agents are created equally and that you will do some
investigative work before choosing an agent to work with. I also hope that you will browse the pages
of this site so that you can learn more about me, my experience, what previous customers say about
me and how I may be of service to you.
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