Choosing a Realtor
You may think that Realtors who are with bigger firms such as Century 21 or ReMax are better agents. That is not always the case. Most brokerages don’t care about experience in agents. That may come as a shock, but here’s why. Many brokerages charge agents a fee to be in that office, whether it be desk fees, or legal fees, most companies will charge an agent something for being in that office. By doing that, offices do not care (as much) if their agents are making transactions because they are making money off the agents from the aforementioned fees. So don’t let an agent working for a big name firm fool you right off the bat.
On that note, do you really want experienced agents at all? Of course you want your agent to have a little experience, but how much may not matter so much. If you are the type that looks for Realtors with a long list of achievements, you may end up with a long list of problems. Many times, I have found that agents with many accolades are the types that tend to “slack off” on the job. They will come in to present to you all the ways they will sell your home, and then when you list with them, you don’t see or hear from them again, ever. You may get their assistant, or an email, or escrow coordinator, but not real person to person contact.
On the other side of the spectrum are inexperienced agents. We’re talking inexperienced, to the tune of not even having graduated High School. This may be hard to stomach, but there are agents out there who haven’t even graduated high school. This is not kids who are 17 or 18 years old trying to get a jump in the Real Estate field. This is people 40 years old without a High School diploma, or even a G.E.D. trying to sell your cherished, expensive piece of property. Many people I ran into in real estate were people who never got a college degree. They were people looking to jump into a job that is portrayed as a money making career. They were lazy individuals who just wanted to make some quick bucks. Why do you suppose the drop-out rate of new agents is so high? Yes, some do drop out because it IS hard to get going and develop a client base, but also because agents get into it and realize they might actually have to work. They aren’t willing, so they fall by the wayside.
Now we have covered red flags in the business, so how can you avoid getting stuck with one of those types of Realtors? Ask questions that will reveal certain things about them and their personality. Find a motivation in them to sell your home. In many cases 20-25 year olds can be better than 40-45 year olds when it comes to motivation. When in a listing presentation, ask the agent about their personal lives, not just ‘What will you do to sell my home?’ Agents are trained to answer questions like that. It is essentially a job interview for them and you are the hiring manager. Think about what you would want in an employee for your business. Usually young people are trying to really make it in the world and have good motivation. They might have just bought a new home themselves or are getting married – both GREAT reasons to NEED to make money. That is great motivation that will in turn help you because they will need to sell your home for that paycheck at the end.
Another way to find agents who will work to sell your home are agents who are well, working. I know you are selling your home, but go to open houses. Most of the time, experienced agents do NOT hold open houses. It is young agents who are still green to the business getting set up at a dead-end open house, just because the listing/experienced agent knows that is a terrible way to get business. Prove that experienced agent wrong. Go to those open houses and talk with the inexperienced agent, who is working, and get a feel for what they are like. Chances are if they are holding an open house for someone else’s listing, then they sure as hell will hold open houses for their own listings. The fact is this: experienced agents have a client base that they have worked with before. Those people will take top priority over new clients, simply because those agents know that those people will come back each time they need to buy or sell. You, the new client, don’t offer that long-tern guarantee. So it may be wise to check out some less experienced agents. And if you like they way they handle their business, chances are you have found a Realtor for life.
Hopefully this enlightens you, the reader and potential client, on what to look out for when choosing a Realtor to sell your home. Don’t be turned off by agents or the business altogether, just be cautious as you begin the adventure of selling your home. A helpful real estate website is CaliforniaHomesFinder.com.
Comments made in this review do not reflect the actions of every company or individual Realtor. They are simply situations that I ran into with my tenor in Real Estate. This guide is meant to only warm of possibilities one may encounter when choosing a Real Estate “professional.”
