Buying or selling real estate can be one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make, and working with the right real estate agent can help ensure a smooth process that gets you the best deal. Whether you’re looking to buy your first home or sell your current apartment, it’s essential that you find an agent that can represent your interests while helping you realize your real estate goals. Here are some tips to help you find a real estate agent that’s the right fit for your needs.
Start with your personal network
Word of mouth is still the most popular way to find a real estate agent, and with good reason. Asking friends and family members who have recently bought or sold a home for a recommendation is an easy, low-risk way to get introduced to agents that might be able to help you. Plus, hearing their experiences firsthand can give you a realistic sense of what it’s like to work with the agent and an idea of how they might be able to help you with your unique situation. Also read https://www.joehomebuyertriadgroup.com/sell-my-house-fast-forest-oaks-nc/
You can also use an online search to find local real estate agents. However, be sure to take the time to vet each candidate carefully before deciding to hire them. Checking their customer ratings, home closing stats, and other data can help you narrow down the field to a few potential candidates who might be a good fit for your needs.
Another important factor to consider is how active the agent is in the market. Aim to work with an agent who’s actively listing and selling apartments, as this will likely mean they have their finger on the pulse of the market and have honed skills to efficiently bring buyers and sellers together. You can do this by searching an agent’s name on StreetEasy and viewing their current listings, which should give you a good sense of how active they are in the neighborhood you’re interested in.
Interview each of your shortlisted real estate agents to get a better feel for what it would be like to work with them. Ask about their experience working with clients in your price range, how they approach home negotiations, and what their average turnaround time is for responding to questions.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to find out how much each agent will charge for their services. In New York City, for example, agents are paid a commission at closing that’s typically split between the buyer and seller’s agent (though it can vary depending on the circumstances). It’s worth getting a clear understanding of all the costs involved before making a final decision.