The right real estate agent can make or break your home buying/selling experience.

Look for a full time agent with local expertise, positive client reviews, team support

and a proven process.

It’s a good idea to interview several agents before you settle on one. Find out how

they communicate and what their working styles are like.

1. Experience

When buying or selling a home, having an experienced real estate agent by your

side can make the difference between a smooth process and a nightmare you can’t

wake up from. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to find a great realtor.

One way to find an experienced agent is through trusted referrals from friends and

family who have recently gone through the homebuying or selling process. Another

option is to visit open houses, which are an excellent way to meet agents in the area

you’re interested in and see how they interact with potential buyers or sellers.

Also, when interviewing agents, ask them about their recent sales and how they

were able to help their clients achieve their goals. This will give you a good idea of

whether they are a good fit for your situation.

2. Reputation

A good reputation is essential for any business, and real estate agents are no

exception. In fact, a recent study found that many home buyers choose realtors

based on online reviews and ratings.

Consumers will scour real estate agent review sites, personal websites, and social

media to research candidates. Having positive reviews can indirectly help real

estate agents’ search engine ranking by increasing time spent on their websites and

decreasing bounce rates.

As a result, picking the right real estate agent can make or break a client’s

experience during a potentially stressful life event. A trusted, knowledgeable partner

can ease the process and help clients reach their goals. However, with 1.3 million

licensed real estate agents in the US, finding one can be daunting.

3. Personality

Real estate agents are in the business of connecting people. That’s why the

personality traits that make for a good agent are essential to finding the right fit for

your needs. Read more https://www.sellmyhousefastforcash.com/we-buy-houses-covington-wa/

You want an agent who is comfortable approaching strangers and making new

connections. They should be able to leave a great impression on potential clients

and be able to build rapport in a short amount of time.

It’s also important that your agent is genuinely interested in helping you find the

home that suits your needs. If an agent is purely profit-driven, buyers can tell.

Ensure that your agent is committed to their client’s best interests and ask for

testimonials from past clients. They should also be able to respond promptly to your

questions and concerns.

4. Communication

It’s important that you and your agent communicate well, both verbally and in

writing. Top agents use a clear, confident voice and avoid industry jargon in emails

and contract discussions. They also make eye contact, which conveys honesty and

respect.

Experienced agents fully understand the city in which they work, providing local

insight on everything from crime rates to pending zoning changes that may impact

home values. This expertise can save you time and money, especially in a

competitive market.

Find out whether the agent wants exclusivity from you or if they can sell your home

and help you buy another simultaneously (called dual agency). If you decide to

move forward with the agent, search your state real estate commission or board

website to see how long their license has been active.

5. Technology

Real estate agents use a variety of tools to help them reach potential clients,

generate leads and keep their businesses afloat. This includes software like Ahrefs

and Semrush that optimize their marketing content for search engines, platforms

like Buffer and Hootsuite that help them direct social media activity to the best time

and date and products like TubeBuddy and vidIQ to optimize video content.

Another technology that can make a big difference for agents is smart CRM systems

that automate lead nurturing. This frees agents to focus on their clients and boost

productivity. Agents also need to make sure brokerage tech is easy-to-use.

Otherwise, it can suck productivity and push staff back to using low-tech methods

like paper files and local spreadsheets.