Choosing Your Real Estate Agent
Some questions to ask yourself or to ask them:
I generally recommend speaking with a few agents before picking one. You are selecting the person to help you make (probably) the biggest purchase of your life…you may want to actually like and trust them.
Do you care if they are bound by a Code of Ethics?
This will determine if you’re looking for a REALTOR® or just a licensed Sales Agent. Here’s the Code of Ethics for reference. Decide if this matters to you or not.
Do they seem like an expert?
Ask for their education history from GREC. This is a PDF they can download and provide to you. Some of us really ensure we are educated. Some only do the minimum required to keep their license.
Do they work in your niche?
Down Payment Assistance, creative financing, education, new construction, fixer-upper, etc. What do you need them to be familiar with to serve you best? I love a first time buyer because I love to answer questions and share how to maintain a home.
Do they communicate how you would like them to?
Text, email, phone call, WhatsApp, SnapChat?
How do they get paid?
If they say their services are free, confirm that they are not receiving a single penny from your transaction. Every agent should be telling you how you pay them and what you are paying for.
Do you vibe with them?
This matters more than you think. We sometimes have to have hard conversations. If you don’t like me up front, then you’re DEFINITELY not going to like when I say something you don’t want to hear. Think of me as a guide to provide advice and advocate for you. Know that I have your best interests in mind and that sometimes that means that I’m going to tell you that that house you thought was perfect online isn’t so perfect in person. It happens.
What is their availability? Does it match yours?
Can you only see homes in person after 6p on weekdays? Are they available normally at that time? What about weekends? Do they have some availability on the weekends to show you homes and write offers?
When was their most recent closing?
This is a fair question to ask. Some seasons are busier than others, and some agents have such a strong pipeline that they never have a slow season. Even if they haven’t had a closing recently, it should open a conversation on how up-to-date they are on the current market, which matters A LOT. Don’t discount a new agent if they have a good mentor. New agents usually have a lot of hustle. As long as they have someone they can ask questions that are important to your negotiations, then you’ll probably be fine with them.
Can they provide references?
Again, don’t discount a new agent if they have a mentor with good references. Ideally, every good agent will have people willing to vouch for them and their services. If they can’t provide you with a single happy client to chat with, then that may be a concern.
Are they bothered when you ask questions?
Including these questions. If the agent is pushing back about you asking so many questions about their experience, then that’s a red flag to me. Every single client is essentially a new job interview for us, so they should not be mad that you ask about them.
