Buying or selling a property is always an important decision to be undertaken. But going solo with the process could be a tedious and time consuming process. You might be able to save significantly on the agent commission but the other costs combined could prove to be costly in the long run. Therefore hiring an agent always helps in more than one way. But the process of hiring is also a time consuming job. There are many websites that offer a consolidated list of realtors which more or less is like a database. Choosing a realtor becomes easy when you have all the choices at a single place. Now how do you choose the best out of the many available options?
The following checklist will help you make an informed choice.
- Choosing the right realtor can make all the difference therefore choose the one with a good amount of past experience. Ask about their previous deals and the also how long they have been licensed.
- Generally people go in for friends, co-workers or relative referrals. But it is always advisable to look for databases online. These have list of realtors sometimes segregated according to the geographical locations as well.
- While choosing a realtor make sure that you quote your range with which you are looking for your property. If your budget is a medium range one then a realtor dealing in high end properties might not be able to help you much. Also discuss about the kind of property that you are looking for. Always choose the realtor based on your choice of a commercial and residential property as both require different kinds of expertise.
- To differentiate between the commercial and residential realtors one can look for their credentials. Certified Residential Specialist is an expert in handling residential real estate. Accredited Buyer’s Representative is someone who represents buyers in the transaction.
- Before finalising look for reviews and also some of his current listings on various websites. This will help in knowing about their area of expertise and also indicate the health of their business.
Once you have made a decision on a particular realtor make sure that you interview a few candidates to make the right choice. If possible in case if you are buying then visit a few houses to see the agents in action. By doing so you can get a fair idea on how swiftly the realtor manages his dealings.