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What Is The Best Way To Find A Real Estate Agent?
Readers Question:
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We’re first time home buyers and I don’t know anyone in our area that’s actually purchased a home – so I have no way to get a recommendation. Should I just check realtor.com until I run across someone that’s particularly helpful? Is there particular well know real estate agents such as Century 21 or Remax that generally has a good reputation?
What would you recommend for finding a decent one?
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February 8th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Attend open houses in the area and just talk to as many as you can. You’ll come across one that you “click” with, and that’s a much better way of finding an agent than a cold call to the office or walking in and getting whoever meets you at the door first.
As to relying on national companies….don’t go on that alone. They have good agents who work full-time and really put an effort into it, and they have part-time agents who piddle with it as a hobby and really don’t care if they sell something or not. Plus, they have a high turnover rate (all agencies do).
A real estate agent’s job isn’t to sell you a house. A house will sell itself. Their job is to help you find a home. So, you need someone who is familiar with the area and more interested in you than just selling you the first thing you can afford that is currently on the market. The perfect house for you may not even be on the market right now, and a good agent will help you be patient and not push off something else on you so they can just close a sale and move onto the next person. Honestly, I’ve been happier with the smaller, local companies than the big national companies.
February 8th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Open houses, they are the best way to see them in action.
February 8th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
I would seriously suggest buying a house for sale by owner and not using a Realtor. You can search for the perfect house on the net.You will save yourself at least 7- 20% by doing this, which is a lot of money.
Do not skip the home inspector though, they are worth the money, but seriously a Realtor is like a car dealer, they are making a lot of money and inflating the price.
You know what you want in a house and can find one yourself on the net.
http://www.realtor.com or
http://www.msl.com
eBay and craigslist list houses too.
You can compare house prices in neighborhoods on http://www.zillow.com and on http://www.coldwellbanker.com
If you want to see houses with a Realtor, just go see them with what ever one has listed them instead of going with one Realtor yourself, then you are just paying the sellers Realtor not the buyers one too.
I bought a house for sale by owner without the Realtor and paid at least $50,000 less than I would have if it was listed.
Thus I will make at least 100,000 in profit within 2 or 3 years when I sell my house.
February 8th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
Exit Realty or Exit Real Estate! They are the best! Look for your local office. Their training is outstanding!
February 9th, 2010 at 3:51 am
As a former Realtor and Broker of 10+years, let me say that with todays vast online resources available to buyers and sellers, a reasonably intelligent person can navigate the entire buying/selling process without shelling out exorbitant fees! It’s work, but balance that against the cost of say $12,000.00 for selling a $200,000.00 home, and you’ll agree with me that it may be worth the effort!
February 9th, 2010 at 8:25 am
as a REALTOR, i recommend looking for one that is an actual REALTOR, not a realtor ( small “r”) , agent, or sale associate. These are membership designations, which members must follow certian guidlines or ethic codes.
I also recommend Realtors with designations, such as Residential Specialist. They require more schooling and are often more knowledgeble. I also recommend looking for someone whose been in the business a long time and has stayed with the same company for a number of years. A not-so-great agent will tend to shift offices often to avoid bad recommendations by former customers.
Rememer– ReMax and Century 21 are franchises–Agents pay to work there!! I recommend a smaller company that can offer you the same resouces where you’ll get individual attention–not just a quicky sale!
Get your OWN agent, don’t call the one on the sign or at the open house ( duel agency) someone who will represnt YOU–the buyer.
a Buyers agent–Doesn’t cost you anything
Good luck on your new home!
February 9th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
I prefer to use different agents for different things. I generally like to get to know them before I do business with them. That way, I know whether or not I feel comfortable with them or not. I like the agent to represent my company and what my interests are. I feel that certain qualities are important to the customer.
I would interview them about themselves and their business. There are certain qualities that you want and you should be able to find those in the agent.
February 9th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
I am an agent in the state of NC. I would not go by companies reputations, because ALL companies have great agents and not so great agents.
Open houses are a great way to meet different agents from different companies. The down side of that is that many open house agents will try to “sell” you into something that you may not neccessarily like.
I believe the best way for you to pick an agent is by picking up your local Homes and Land magazine as well as The Real Estate Book and flip through that. Just by doing this, you can see agent pictures as well as get an idea of how much business they generate. I would also look for an agent that has more than one designation. You will want a REALTOR, but you want to also look for a GRI, etc. These agents have had a lot of training and can help you get a home.
After finding a few agents that you think you are interested in, I would call several of them and set up meetings with them to get info on their company as well as what they can do for you. After these meetings, I am sure that you will find someone that will work for you!
February 10th, 2010 at 1:04 am
well the one who might give you the best deal, might be the more popular one in the area that you want to buy in.if you look around you might be able to skip all the middle men and go directly to the seller.you said one with a good reputation.well most of the real estate agents are trying to pull in the bucks.$$$ and they do make the money.when someone is so agressive ,often there only in it looking at there deal and moving on to there next deal . i have seen
deals done where the buyer was sold property that is BAD.preasuring someone to buy a lemmon of a property.
watch out for fast deals. you only have the rest of your life to pay for it. or what ever but to drive the house 15 months down the road and preexsisting unmentioned conditions give you a
home owners honey moon night mare.a property should be inspected by you and the Property inspector that will not lie to you but will tell you FACTS about the poorly designed or quality Workmanship of the property in question. if something
dont look right 90% chance it really is not right and do accept a bad reported property inspections. Do not let anyone say were giving you this much off because this is messed up. or say this is a AS IS property. dont waist your time . by my figures only 3 out of ever 5 brand new houses is sound. by my figures 3 out of 13 used are sound. if the foundation has problems or has had problems the house -well you know . the best part of your house is to have great neighbors like people who wont scream you out of the neighborhood with there loud music or dogs . go where you want to buy your house after hours see if its calm talk to your potential neighbors. great neighbors make you happy to be home. unbearable neighbors cause health problems and seem to increase head achs and ulcers.
Buy what you can pay for even if something was to happen to you.like health issues.people lose there job ect ..and a large number of people lose there homes because of not being able to pay the bills.buy what you can live with even if you lost 50% of your income. just because your shown a property and TOLD you can offord it ,,i say dont buy that .you are the buyer always be in control. Often property is lost in the first
12 months to 17 months.sometimes people dont lie to you they just leave facts out that would increase the chances youll decline.use your own inspectors AND inspect it your self you dont know who might be getting a kick back .there really is no best company or agent to chose but get wise and use good judgement. i know you didnt ask all this and i dont have any cold hard evidence . remember there are LOTS of good people out there and God Loves you and to trust in God .
February 10th, 2010 at 5:44 am
my first answer would be to tell you to ask around, you can do that even if you are new to a community. then there’s always the BBB, or you can check the Internet for ratings, i would say that well established Realtors such as century 21 or remax would be reliable, but remember each has their own Realtors, you can also ask the agents for their licenses & credentials. in the end if you chose a realtor or a company & you find that your not comfortable w/them you can always move on & find someone else.
February 10th, 2010 at 8:41 am
I’m not sure that you can ever hire anyone to do a job and be a hunderd percent sure. The best thing that I have found is to take out a 3 THREE Month contract with them and have an option to terminate them for ANY reason if you think they are not doing their job. In general I do think that larger agencies spend more money to advertise. Open houses are helpful
I think it is more incentive to get them to do their job. Keep in mind , that they are not miracle workers , they can’t always control the market conditions, the condition of the house , etc. You also have an obligation to the realtor to do your part to help make a sale. Listen to them for hints about how to improve the curb appeal / inside of house. The staging of the house is very important. Remove extra furniture from room, get pod storage for clutter, empty closets 1/2 way so they look better and keep the place spotless. they will give you lists of stuff to get done before it is even listed. It’s no fun selling a house / but the closings can be worthwhile. Hopefully, this is your payday !
I would interview them / I think all you can really judge in meeting someone 15 minutes is if you like them appearance/personality and think they can sell. The only thing you can do beyond that is make sure the contract is in your favor (listing expires in 3 months not 6 and you have a right to terminate for any cause) and that you do your part in getting house ready and keeping it perfect for showings/open houses.
Good luck!
February 10th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Well you could look online or try to get with someone that is a profesional
February 10th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Get ahold of the BBB, they can put you on to NOT to do business with. You are right! Buying the right house is very important. Ask about insurances, don’t buy into condo’s. They tell you they have insurance on the outside of your home, but don’t forget to ask how much the deductable is. I learned that the expensive way. They hire the cheapest help for lawns, snow removals, and painting, ( if you can get them to do it ) My deductable for the outside, what they are suppose to be taking care of is $9000.00. I just sunk $2.400 in my fireplace alone. That’s when I found out the deductable. My whole outside can’t amount up to that!
Shop around and make sure you read the fine print when you get a loan. Everyone is out for that all mighty dollar. Find out if the hose has been termite inspected, if the furance and furnace ducts have been cleaned and working properly, and find out about property taxes! Some states are different than others. Get on the net and surf the sites that show you the taxes in the state you are looking in. There are alot of hidden costs they don’t tell you about, unless you ask, and get everything in writing. Good luck!
February 10th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Interview interview! You should talk with agents in your area. Many agents specialize in first time home buyers. There are different needs that first timers generally need, finding a great lenders, inspector etc, not just an agent who will sell you any house.
If you would like, shoot me an email with your contact information and I can recomend an agent in your area.
February 11th, 2010 at 4:23 am
Go with the first answer from sortaclarksville. His answer is just like in Real Estate the first offer could end up being the best offer. What are you looking for in a home? How about the school system? How about the neighborhood? Answer all those questions yourself then find someone knowledgeable with your area of interest. The majority of established agencies do do 80 percent of their business in the neighborhood they are located in. They know there home towns. There are many laws to protect you. An agent is not like a car salesman. They could loose their license. They can be sued. They can’t tell you what has not been revealed by the home owner. If they are aware of a potential problem they have a duty to reveal it.
February 11th, 2010 at 9:23 am
After spending months looking for the perfect house for us, the BEST way to find an agent is the internet! Enter in “real estate/(your state)”. Anything imaginable will be provided. And they ask specifics what you’re looking for. Actually, also enter in your city for the local agents because even though the big names have a reputation for selling homes, the locals will bend over backwards to help you! I also checked online newspapers for our state in their classified sections. Good luck!
February 11th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
After buying several homes and selling them in areas where i knew no one, the best way i found is go into the larger offices and talk to several at once. Depending on your price range, the very well known ones may not want to deal with you if it is to low. Or if they do they may not give you very good service. Your buying a 100k home vurs someone with a 1mill one. So find an agent your personality mixes with that is new. Yes he may not know all the trick up front but the others in the office will help him also. The new ones will be allot more helpful and willing to go that extra mile for you. Spend a couple days going to the large offices Remax, 21, Gundaker, what ever is in your area meet the ones that are there and interview them in a nice way. Till you find the one you like and can deal with. DO not feel you have to take the first one that is nice to you or pushy. This is the largest investment you may ever make, Take your time finding the right agent and it will make finding the right house that much easier
February 11th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
The most common way to find a good realtor is word of mouth. When people are happy with the service of a particular person, they gush about him or her, and how well they were treated etc etc.
Each country/city/ state or province will also have certain licensure requirements so these regulatory bodies or real estate associations are great to seek out names as well. You want to hire the ones who are licensed, have no pending litigations against them and are generally have fulfilled the current requirements of the industry and its standards.
February 11th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
Being a real estate agent myself I admit that there are a lot of crooks in this business. There are also a lot of honest hard working agents out there and based on my past experience the best agent is not always the most experienced. The newer agents may work a lot harder for you. This said I think the best thing to do is to check out the neighborhoods that you like and get familiar with the area first then narrow down your search to a few “favorite areas”. Go to as many open houses as you can and get familiar with the areas that you like and meet some agents. You may find one that you like. Ask for their references and make a few calls to see how their past clients liked them.Last but not least do not sign a buyers agreement with them. Some agents ask for that and that puts you in a trap if you don’t like them. Also beware of the trick where they show you 6 ugly houses and by the time you see one nice house you will want to go for it!!
February 11th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Check your yellow pages & yes, Century 21 & Remax have a good reputation, but it’s the realtor who is eager but not pushy to sell you a home, that really counts. Make a list of things your husband & you desire in a home, then go over the list with a realtor, so she knows what you’re looking for. Make the price of the home you are looking to purchase, well known from the beginning also. A good realtor will search for homes for you & will always be in touch. Good luck!!!!
February 11th, 2010 at 11:11 pm
Hello,
what kind of house are you trying to buy?
if it is a condo and a new development, one can bypass the Realtor all together and go to the sales office pocketing the commission.
If you are planning to buy in one given area, I would go look a few houses that I like and pick up a few cards. It will facilitate your shopping experience. Then when you call you simply say that you want to check the house, and they will always ask if you have an agent. Tell them that you are looking for one and not yet decided.
The one that impresses you the most during the visits, can become your agent. Realtors are about selling or buying but bottom line making money. At an open house, they are not natural. You want to catch them off-guard and see how much they are willing to do for you.
Some Realtors are all about themselves and closing a deal. Once the deal is closed, you never hear from them. You need not only a Realtor who is nice, knowledgeable but has a good understanding of the community and the schools. The APY scores don’t mean anything. You want to go meet the principals. You want to see the schools and see where they are located.
Finally, it is not about how much you buy but for how much you get it financed. Your finance person is equally important. Try to get someone who is separate from your Realtor. You don’t want one person doing it all!
Good luck!
JP
February 12th, 2010 at 1:38 am
its vry simple dear u can find them in daily news paper or in the yellowpages or any yearly book wich provied all information & address ………hope fully my words will help u to find them …..
February 12th, 2010 at 7:05 am
I’m not sure what you mean by “decent one” since all realtors, real estate agents all well educated in their fields, have clean records and all are approved by the state, and that includes the brokers they work for. Yes, you can go to realtor.com and find one in the area where you want to buy a home. Agents usually have an area where they choose to work (like for instance beach front properties, properties over $1 million, some are just buyers agents, some are sellers agents, some like to sell homes in the country, etc. and by looking at the websites of those in the area you want to buy you will know their expertise. Give them a call and see which one you feel comfortable talking with, or ask the broker to refer you to someone.
I had a good laugh at reading all the responses. The questioner asked aboiut a “real estate AGENT” not about Realtors, yet many realtors responded trying to twist the questioner’s arma and everyone elses’ arms to buy from them or give them a commission just so they could do nothing and yet transfer the prospective client to another agency the individual doesn’t know. The competition sure was keen from the responders one trying to say they were better than the other or selling (against the Yahoo Q&A community rules).
Most people suggested a specific broker’s office to deal with yet several years ago many, yes many, agencies were purchased by the same company…Yes, you read that right, although they have different names for their agencies most of them are run by the SAME main company, it’s just that each office is run by a broker who runs it a tad different than the other one like different advertising, different area, etc.
Yes referrals are good (referral from your family). No, agents for the most part are not paid, they are on commission, and the commission is part of the amount they collect from the seller in the closing costs, HOWEVER a lot of those closing costs go to pay advertising fees, fees for the post and sign and installers, long distance phone calls, etc. etc. that YOU requested be done.
The reason everyone needs an agent (rather than selling or buying a house on their own) is because the agents do all the legwork for you. And the reason you need an attorney as well is to prevent you from getting screwed by the buyer or seller (and not by the agent).
Someone was correct when they said you need to get your own loan first (get one for 30 years) and THEN go see an agent. Not too many agents are doing home showings anymore since there is a security risk. So what you do is call an agent and tell them what you are looking for and have them come to you with their laptop. The reason you meet “outside” of the office is that competitor agents steal clients right from under your nose, and so do brokers. So if you find an agent you like then be ready to hire them to work for you and on a confidential basis. That way they will give you all the time you need, they will bring to you every possible match, and will show you the home or homes, etc., they will give you a printout of the taxes, schools, and anything else you ask for.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:55 am
I would ask around. Maybe someone who lives in the neighborhood knows of a good local agent.
February 12th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
sortaclarksville (the 1st answer) hit the nail on the head. Going to open houses and introducing yourself is a great way to get to know a few agents in the area. Talk to co-workers, friends, neighbors and ask for referrals. I used to be an agent and have worked for the “big guys” and the “little guys”. The truth is you really just don’t know what kind of person your ending up with when you just make a call and get the agent on duty. Some really know their stuff and are very motivated others are not. It’s a big deal so be sure to go with someone you are comfortable with.
February 12th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
There are various mls systems (multi listing services) in the US that allow a single realtor to share their own listings and access others thus providing great variety, unfortunately, it can add a lot of “middle men” to the process which can lead to mis-understandings. My advice would be to first establish that the property you want to see is actually listed by the realtor who wants to show it to you. If they have listed it themselves you are involving less middle-men, and hence likely to have less problems.
It is hard work, they say buying a house is one of the most stressful things anyone ever does, I have attached a link for a European site that lists individual properties direct from lister, it is constantley being updated, and they will put you in touch with the listing realtor directly.
Good luck!
February 12th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Ask people in the neighborhood.
Watch a lot of TV commercials, and READ MANY ADS (Newspapers, buiness listings, Commercial ads, etc.)
LISTEN TO LOCAL RADIO STATIONS.
February 13th, 2010 at 3:00 am
Yahoo Answers
February 13th, 2010 at 4:48 am
I would call a large real estate office, such as ReMax and ask to speak to the agent who won the “top producer” award last year.
February 13th, 2010 at 6:18 am
well i think the best way is to look up numbers in the phone book…… and call them and ask them how they do there work and maybe that’s the way you can find out….
February 13th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
My reccomendation would be Re/Max Realty Associates in Munster, Indiana (if you are from around that area). I, along with many others would rate them as a 20 on a scale of 1-10!!! Either way, like the other answerers stated, find one you are comfortable with and dont be afraid to change if necessary! GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN FINDING A HOUSE>>> it’s a wonderful experience!