If you’re planning on selling your home, you may have thought – for a second or two – about doing it yourself. Hopefully, you soon realized there is so much involved in the successful sale of a home, it’s far better left to a professional. That having been decided, you now need to make an informed decision as to who a good estate agent would be for your purposes. There are several factors that can figure in here. But there are some basics, as well.
Here, we’re going to take a look at some of the top characteristics of a good real estate agent. Then we’ll introduce you to one of the best.
Get the Appropriate Answers to All Your Questions
You want a real estate agent who is open to answering your questions. Some of the most helpful inquiries can involve the following:
- Do you work with any recommended vendors? Who are they?
- Are you involved in a team or do you work solo?
- What is your area of coverage?
- What’s your ratio of buyers to sellers?
- On the average, how many clients do you usually handle?
- Is there anything you want to ask me?
Check for Recognitions, Awards, and Certifications
One sign of a good agent is a peer given award (or more than one). Your agent should be able to fill you in on any information regarding their award. No fakers!
See what kind of specialist certification your agent has – one might suit your needs better than another. How well a person understands real estate can be demonstrated, in part, by their credentials.
Attractive Current Listings
To post their listings, the MLS (multiple listing service) will be used by most agents. Additionally, they may post them on their website. Compare the price range, location, etc. of the home you’re looking for to the homes in their listings to see if the agent is a good fit.
Also check for the number of past or active listings. There should be an adequate amount. You might want to check their agent history if the number of past or active listings is sparse.
Listen to the Experiences of Others
To confirm your skills, personal references are checked when you apply for a job. Since the real estate agent is, more or less, applying for the job as your personal agent, don’t feel bad about wanting to check references. Listen to the experiences of others who have worked with this person before. If possible, do reviews in person rather than relying on online reviews (which can be biased or fake).
Verify Licensing
To sell real estate, a Department of Real Estate license must be owned, after passing a rigorous exam. Find out if there are any complaints against this person, if any disciplinary actions have been carried out, how long they’ve been licensed, etc. If they have been in the real estate industry for five years or more, that’s a good starting point.
Do They Conduct Themselves with Professionalism?
While this may not matter to some people – much as bedside manner doesn’t matter to some people regarding their brilliant medical specialist – it’s a hot button for others. More times than not, people respond better to someone who treats them in a professional manner. It makes for a more enjoyable experience. It also helps to ensure a smoother, more trouble-free home selling process.
For a Top-Rated Real Estate Agent – NJLux Real Estate
As one of the top real estate professionals in the United States, NJLux was recently honored by Real Trends and The Wall Street Journal. Of all licensed-in-New Jersey real estate agents, you’ll find me ranked in the top 1%.
My name is Joshua M. Baris and I want to be your source for luxury real estate/New Jersey listings and For Sale Bergen County luxury homes.
There are numerous ways to connect with me. Call me at 201-771-1969 or email me at josh@njlux.com. You can FB message me at m.me/njlux or, if you choose, open the lines of communication by using my website’s convenient online form.
