What Makes a Real Estate Agent Stand Out?

What makes a real estate agent stand out? There are thousands of real estate agents just in our local Multiple Listing Service alone! Sometimes it feels like every other person you meet has a real estate license. So why do you always see the same few names over and over again? What is the difference that make some realtors more successful than others? AND how do you choose just ONE to help you buy or sell a home?

·        COMMUNICATION and RESPONSIVENSS

When you ask your agent an important question do you expect an almost immediate answer, or do you want to be told he/she will get back to you within 48 hours? If you receive an offer or counteroffer, don’t you want to know right away?  If there a home you really want to see, it shouldn’t take your realtor 4 days to get back to you because the house could be gone! If you receive feedback on the showing of your property, he/she should let you know immediately. If not, that agent should be following up with the other agents to get you that feedback. Your realtor should be someone you feel comfortable communicating with. He/she should also consider how you prefer communicating. If you prefer to talk on the phone, through email, or through text, your agent should take note of that. I have my phone with me 24/7 and it’s rare that one of my customers has to wait more than an hour for a response!

·        INTEGRITY

Your realtor should have your best interest at heart. You should never get the feeling your agent puts your feelings aside and just wants to make a sale. He/she should have strong moral principles. Your agent should also be honest. There aren’t always going to be things you want to hear before or during the transaction but they may be things you need to hear. It’s hard to trust a realtor with the large sale/purchase of your home when you don’t trust that person to tell the truth or to do the right thing! My goal is that my customers end each transaction feelings like they just bought or sold a house with a close friend or family member, not some salesperson that doesn’t care about them.

·        COMMITMENT

A real estate agent should be dedicated to his/her customers. He/she should also be committed to making sure your home closes. You should feel that your realtor is giving everything she has to you and your purchase/sale. This person should go to bat for you.  My focus is always to do the job you hired me to do: get you to closing! I have done everything from buying a golf cart to make sure a deal closed, to chipping in for last minute repairs, having my husband fix a sprinkler head a moving truck broke as they were leaving the driveway, getting HVAC people out to a home within hours of closing, to finishing a sale with the broker on the other side because the sellers fired their unprofessional relator mid sale. Twice I have had sales fall through but, with some quick thinking, I was able to get them both back under contract with new buyers immediately.

·        KNOWLEDGEABLE

Does this real estate agent know the market? If the agent isn’t as familiar with your neighborhood, he/she should be willing to do some research and learn. Does he/she have a plan for selling your home? Does this realtor know the contract and how to make sure you are protected? Before you make an offer on the property your agent should be looking at comparable properties to make sure it’s a reasonable offer. If your agent doesn’t know the answer to something, he/she should be able to find out for you. If you are a first-time homebuyer or home seller, this real estate agent should especially be “holding your hand” throughout the transaction. Your realtor should also be familiar with the buying/selling process. This is especially important if you end up in a multiple offer situation, whether you are the buyer or the seller. As a buyer in a multiple offer situation, you want someone who knows what it takes for you to win! As the seller in this situation, you will rely on your agent for guidance about the best and safest offer to take. A lot of money and your largest asset is at stake. It can be tempting to hire a good friend or family member to help them out, or even to do it yourself. But if that person doesn’t have the knowledge you will be the one to suffer in the end.

·        PROFESSIONAL

How does your realtor present them self to you and to other realtors? Your realtor should dress and speak professionally, be on time, and do what he/she promises to do. This agent should always treat you with respect. How does this real estate agent handle problems that come up? On more than one occasion I have had other agents yell at me or insult me when something difficult came up in the sale. This is never good for anyone involved! There is a much better chance that problems will be solved by staying calm and professional, not by losing your cool. Not to mention that you can always benefit from using a realtor who gets along with other realtors. It’s much more likely that agents will want to show your property to their buyers and it’s also more likely your offer will be more seriously considered. This also holds true in new construction. If your realtor is friendly with many builder site agents, he/she may have a better chance of being able to negotiate for you. If site agents know your realtor has a good track record of selling home, they will also be more likely to consider writing a contract contingent on your house selling. Everyone has the same goal in the transaction. When realtors work together it’s a win-win for everyone!

 

·        CARING

This goes hand in hand with integrity. But it’s so important it needs to be discussed separately! This transaction is most likely one of the biggest sales/purchases of your life. Your agent should care, not only about getting the job done well but also care about you! It’s a bonus if your realtor is fun! This is such an emotional process for everyone. Sadly, I have had plenty of calls from people who didn’t feel that their real estate agent cared about them. One first time homebuyer was upset because, when he brought his parents house hunting with him, the agent was rude to his family. Another buyer came to this area to house hunt (with a different agent) and left in tears because she didn’t feel the agent cared about her or her family. This was a move across the country and it was scary for her! Luckily a mutual friend convinced her to call me and we hit it off immediately. Another buyer was working with a different agent, but she never seemed available to show him houses when he wanted to see them. I have also had sellers contact me because they aren’t happy with their listing agent. They felt the agent wasn’t doing much to sell their home other than put a sign in the yard. Hopefully your agent continues to care about you after the transaction! I like to send out cards periodically with free donut or ice cream coupons. Sometimes I will even pop by with a small gift. I also do at least one big customer appreciation event per year. This is a good chance to let my past customers know I appreciate them but also to see everyone again and have a good time!

 

I hope this was a helpfully summary of what to look for when hiring a real estate agent. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to reach out to me through text, calls, email, or private message! 904-495-3229    caraferreira@kw.com