It’s the one of the biggest purchases and investments of your life so you need the best advisors available to assist you with the process. That’s where working with a top-notch REALTOR® comes into play.  It’s essential you find the right REALTOR® for you.  With the ease of being able to obtain a license, you want to make sure you’re hiring an agent who has the experience, knowledge, professionalism and drive to ensure you’re provided with the tools and skills to walk away from a closing feeling confident in your purchase and knowing your needs were met. Let’s jump into issues you can face if you don’t have the right agent on your team.

1. WON’T LISTEN

It’s important to find a real estate agent that sits down with you, asks what you want and actually listens to your needs. What type of home do you want? Where do you want to live? Does the commute to school or work have to be a certain distance? Etc. Working with an agent that doesn’t take the time to really listen and respect what your goals are will end up wasting your time by drawing your attention to homes that make no sense for you. In the meantime, your dream home keeps passing you by.  Your agent should know and respect what you want for your dream home and be the person to help you obtain it.

 

2. GIVE TERRIBLE ADVICE

Choosing the wrong agent means you could find yourself in a bad situation because you trusted their advice and it was less than stellar. Make sure you choose an agent that is able to give you the proper direction when it comes to the entire sales process. From negotiations to repairs, you want to have a trusted advisor that has the knowledge and experience to guide you on the right path.

 

3. WON’T NEGOTIATE THE BEST DEAL FOR YOU

A great agent will negotiate for you to get the best deal for the market you’re in. This doesn’t always mean the lowest price.  In a hot seller’s market it might mean helping you craft the best offer that beats out 10 other offers on the same home or not paying too much above the list price.  A savvy agent also knows how to help advise a buyer with creative terms (possession, closing date, remedy, etc.) for an offer to help you get the home you want without necessarily being the highest bidder. However, the “wrong” agent won’t bother to negotiate on any part of the sales process and that stubborn-ness could lose you the home you’ve always wanted.  You need an agent that not only negotiates in your best interest, but does it in an effective and way and advises you on the best steps to take to ensure you get the home you want in the end.

 

4. DIFFICULT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH

A great agent has a set and active schedule that allows you to get in touch with them or a member of their team on a reasonable time frame. They’ll establish communication expectations with you from the start so you always feel like you’re in the loop.  The “wrong” agent will be difficult to reach…even not getting back to you during the sales process for days (possibly weeks) at a time. You want to find an agent that has clear schedule that allows you to get in touch with them when you need to, always respond to you in a timely manner and you know what to expect from the beginning. This is incredibly important during the sales process. If something needs immediate attention and your agent is nowhere to be found, you can lose the deal your home.

 

5. CAN LEAD TO A LEGAL MESS

Unfortunately, there are unethical real estate agents out there.  REALTORS® are held to a higher ethical standard than someone who is simply a licensed real estate agent.  Working with a REALTOR® instead of a licensed real estate agent can help ensure you’ve got an advisor who has the highest standards of ethics.  In addition, some agents simply do not have the proper knowledge about the legalities within the industry that should standard for agents to know and follow. This could be for a variety of reasons but if your agent seems unsure of what they’re doing or your gut is telling you something doesn’t seem right, it’s probably time to find someone new to advise you.  As a professional in a highly regulated and complex industry,  a great agent will know how to protect you throughout the sales process as well as how to explain all the jargon in a way you will understand. They can provide the necessary paperwork and guidance to ensure you’re protected by the decisions you make as well and help you avoid a legal mess.

 

6. GET AN UNHAPPY BUYING/SELLING EXPERIENCE

Buying or selling a home is a major life event. Whether you’re buying your first home or downsizing for retirement, you don’t want the experience to be traumatizing. A top-notch agent will be able to navigate the bumps that come up within the sales process in an experienced and professional manner making the process feel effortless and stress-free to you. The “wrong” agent could create stress and potentially cause you to regret and question the decisions you make. Find a great agent that knows the process intimately and will ensure it goes as smoothly as possible. There can always be little bumps in the road during this process but having a talented real estate agent will help you navigate any hurdles that could arise through the process and make you feel like a winner at the end.

If you keep these things in mind as you search for the best agent to guide you, you’ll have no problem buying or selling a home and you’ll probably even enjoy the process.  Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or would like me to help you navigate the world of real estate.  My email address is Rachel@RachelKayla.com.