How to Find a Realtor

Whether you are looking to buy a house or sell your property, it is important to find a great realtor to help guide you through the process. A good Real Estate agent will have knowledge of the market, connections in the industry, and the experience to ensure that the process both on the buy side and the sell side goes seamlessly.

Firstly, think about the qualities that you need and want in an agent. Are you buying or selling? Does your property have any specific requirements, or do you need an agent with a particular specialty? It may be helpful to compile a list of qualities that you think will be important. For example, do you want the agent with the highest sales volume, or the most experience? Is customer service your highest priority, or are you looking for an agent with particular ethical beliefs or values?

Now, do your research. Talk to your family and friends about their experiences. Referrals are a great way to find an agent. You can also look at online reviews, and often agents will have online biographies that you can research, to help decide if they will be a good fit for your needs. Take a look at examples of our agent bios here. You can also call in to open houses, especially if you have an agent in mind. This is a great place to meet them, to watch how they conduct themselves, and how they greet people etc.  Do they engage with the clients? Are they too pushy, or not pushy enough?

If you are relocating, you can choose to ask for a referral from your previous agent, or ask a relocation specialist. Look for realtors who are invested in their local community, and who can potentially do more for you than just complete a sale or purchase. Check out examples of our Local Waves Community Page.

Don’t just settle for the first person you meet. Interview at least 3 agents. It helps to ask all 3 the same questions so that you can compare their answers and find the perfect fit for you and your own particular needs. Trust, chemistry, and communication are all important. The process of interviewing agents helps you to find an agent that you know you’ll be able to work with, and trust to handle what can be one of the biggest financial transactions you’ll ever make. Your agent will be your representative throughout the process, and it’s imperative that they are able to represent you 100%.

If you’re looking for information on how to find a Real Estate Agent as a Buyer, you can check out our article devoted to that topic, here.

Important things to consider when you are interviewing your candidates include:

Qualifications – Your realtor must be licensed and qualified. You can check their license on your state’s real estate department website and look up their name.

Experience and Local knowledge – You’ll want to know if the agent specializes in your particular situation, and if they have up-to-date knowledge of the local area and sales trends.

Marketing/Technical skills – The agent should be able to provide you with examples of their online and physical marketing. Photos, videos, write-ups etc. are all vital, especially when it comes to the sell side. On the buy side, you’ll need to ensure that your agent can use all the tools to find the perfect property before anybody else! Take a look at our Home ECHOnomics Guarantee, which puts our Realtors above the competition!

Availability and attention – as mentioned earlier, you need to make sure your agent will be able to provide you with the level of attention you need. Are they working full time or part time? How many other clients do they have? Will they be able to provide you with daily or weekly updates, or meetings?

It can be daunting trying to find the right real estate agent but with a little bit of time you are sure to come across the right person for you. Good luck!