FINDING A CAPABLE AGENT TO MEET YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS

  Courtesy of Dick Lee 

     Whether you’re a first-time buyer, selling your current home, or relocating to a different part of the country, the support of a qualified, knowledgeable real estate agent can alleviate many of your concerns and ensure a smooth transaction.   A professional agent can market your present residence, help you locate the home of your dreams, and assist in making your transfer to an unfamiliar area easier.

     To find a trained sales associate or broker, you may need to look no further than your own neighborhood or home town.  If the agent is working for a well-established brokerage is involved in many listings and sales, this is a good sign.  Also, speak with some of the agent’s past customers about the quality and integrity of service and performance, or ask to see letters of recommendation.  Successful real estate agents rely heavily on customer referrals, and will therefore strive to provide the very best in customer service and satisfaction.

     Set up appointments to “interview” agents much like an employer world interview a prospective employee.  Inquire about their training, marketing programs, and specific service policies.  Also determine how many years of experience they have, the number of listings they have had, and the number of homes they have sold within the past few years.  More importantly, find out how well they know the are and how long they have lived in the area.  This is important so that you know you are dealing with someone with knowledge of the history and growth of the area.

     Your goal is to determine just how knowledgeable the agents are.  Question them on financing, closing costs and/or local market conditions, depending on whether you’re a prospective home buyer or seller, to determine their expertise.  If they know their stuff, they should be able to answer your questions or find someone who can help them with your questions.

     If you’re selling your home, learn what they will do if you decide to list with them.  How do they plan to market your home?  Will they provide you with a market analysis to help you determine the most effective listing price for your property?  Find out how they arrive at their marketing analysis.  Do they use the latest computer technology or just pull numbers out of "thin air" or just say "well, what do you think you want for the property and they agree immediately"?  Getting a good Comparative Market Analysis is vital to selling easily.  Will they supply regular progress reports and assist with negotiations once you’ve received offers? 

     If you are relocating to a different part of the country, is your agent connected with a national relocation service that will not only expose your present property to incoming transferees, but assist with your search for a new house?

     Ask for a written guarantee that everything promised will be delivered.  The CENTURY 21® organization, for example, backs its listings with the CENTURY 21 Seller Service Pledge™.  This 21-point written commitment covers everything from furnishing the seller with a marketing plan to monitoring pre-settlement activities throughout the closing process.  It also gives the seller the right to terminate the listing if the pledge is not fulfilled.

          A qualified real estate agent should be able to answer all your questions and provide you with qualified service that is courteous and responsible.  Finding the right person may take time and patience, but when purchasing or selling a home, the selection of a dependable agent should be tops on your list.

CENTURY 21 Seller Service Pledge™

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©2008 CENTURY 21 LeMac Realty East

©2008 Century 21 Real Estate LLC

All information is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified.