How To Find A Real Estate Agent: 3 Things To Look For

Chemistry is one thing, but a buyer should also look for an agent that they trust is objective when emotions are running high.

Real estate agent Mary Cleaver in a unit for sale in Vancouver. Cleaver says it’s a very intense relationship for the time you work with a real estate agent, so it’s important to get the right fit. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG

Buying a home for the first time can be an overwhelming experience. Choosing a real estate agent is one of the first steps to make it less daunting. With more than 14,000 real estate agents to choose from in the lower mainland, how do you find the right one?

“It’s a very intense relationship for the time you work together,” said Mary Cleaver, a real estate agent since 2011. “There’s a lot at stake.”

The process can take weeks or months as the buyer and real estate agent meet for an introduction, visit the open house, review and discuss documents and write quotes. Report is crucial.

“It does not matter if it’s your first or 10th^th When you buy time, the things you look for are the same, ”Cleaver said. “Competence that you can do the job; capacity, they can take you on; and connection. ”

Competence

When it comes to competency, Cleaver places local expertise at the top of the list.

“You can have a real estate agent who is 20 years in the industry and is generally competent in knowing how to write a contract, but if they do not work your location day in, day out, then they have not been inside the properties which they are going to use as comparable, ”Cleaver said.

“When they’re trying to determine the value of the property you’re considering, and they’re pulling up sales in the neighborhood from the last two or three months if they’ve not been inside those homes and they’re just going from the feature sheets, it’s not quite the same. “

Larry Anderson, chairman of the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, says, “What you will find is a local real estate agent, and sometimes we will miss it.”

Anderson has also trained new real estate agents. “Prices vary from street to street, neighborhood to neighborhood. It is important that you find someone located in the market, and that is whether you are a first-time buyer or a sophisticated buyer.”

Most real estate agents advertise their areas of expertise on their marketing materials. You can also check out their postings on social media to see where they do business. And, when in doubt, Google.

“Everyone has testimonials on their own website, but Google reviews are completely hands-off,” Cleaver said. “It’s a good way to tell what people are saying about an agent. But I think that’s the last thing after establishing a connection. It’s the same as if you hire someone for a job. Then again, it’s also the first thing you do because it’s so easy. ”

Capacity

Cleaver offers an industry adage that says: A team will surpass a solo agent every time.

‘There are many pieces to buying a home. A person cannot be in two places at once. You can not be to open house and also show buyers around. You can not make multiple offers Monday and Tuesday for two or three of your listings at the same time and still be responsible for buyer inquiries. “

It does not have to be someone with “team” in their name or partnership. “It could be a solo agent who has licensed administrators so they have someone to show a property or open a door for a real estate agent or host an open house. So make sure the agent has support.”

Mary Cleaver Group is a team of four people. “When I have two or three ads, I never have to say no to a buyer asking for a showing. Unless the seller says no. Because there are four of us, there is always someone who can open the door.”

Connection

Does the realtor speak your real estate language?

Cleaver says, “I’ve got people saying, ‘I want a mom who understands schools and parks and the lifestyle.’ Others may want someone who shares their religion or values. What helps you connect? Who do you want to spend a lot of time with, maybe for two or three months? ”

Chemistry is one thing, but a buyer should also look for an agent they can trust when emotions are running high.

“There’s so much at stake, especially in Vancouver. Real estate can not be seen as just a home. It’s also an investment. The money is too much. You have to think about the market, resale, all these other things. Sometimes your agent push you a little bit.If you look at 40 places and it’s down to two or three, maybe it’s time for your agent to say you know, I think it’s this one.And if you “Do not trust and report, you may not believe the answer. You need someone who has your best interests first.”

Anderson suggests interviewing three real estate agents. “What you want to do is decide that the real estate agent will always work in your best interest. There has to be that trust and integrity. One thing I always emphasize to my newer real estate agents is: ‘If the best advice is not “Buying the house they’re looking at, for whatever reason, gives them that advice. You can not be afraid of not having the sale … I think most real estate agents have that integrity.”

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