You want to buy a house so you go to your favorite social media site and ask friends and family for recommendations. Within minutes, you have been tagged with 50 potential buyer’s agents that are just “absolutely wonderful.” But what does that mean? Not every agent is great and the last thing you want is to find out during or after your purchase that you hired the wrong person. Here are 5 signs of a knowledgeable buyers agent in Middletown, Dayton, or Cincinnati.
A Good Listener
Yes, we are speaking of a real estate agent and not a new boyfriend. But you need a real estate agent who sits calmly to listen to your needs, your desires and concerns for a new home purchase. If the real estate agent seems pushy, hurried or otherwise disinterested in you, it could be a sign that they just aren’t able to deliver. It’s like an investor who is quick to sell every client the same investment. Someone who listens is confident that they have any one of a number of solutions to help you find your dream home.
Asks the Right Questions
Once the agent is done listening, they should have a few questions for you. One might actually be what your favorite colors are, but still, we aren’t talking about a date. The reason is the agent needs to understand your priorities. You may have listed that you want five bedrooms, three baths, a pool and recreation room. That’s great. But the agent needs to delve deep into what is a must-have versus a want to have. There are many reasons for this that include pricing, affordability, and inventory. If they don’t ask the right questions, you’ll be disappointed because most people never get everything on that list. Prioritize and your agent can hunt for the best property for you.
Provides Alternatives
Now that the agent has listened to you and helped you prioritize, a knowledgeable agent delves right into brainstorming ideas, location, and even potential properties immediately. They have such a keen understanding of the market that they know the best neighborhoods that are similar to your named area. They can also provide alternatives based on growing areas so you can get a better deal on the house you want in an area that will be ideal in a few years because of new development and city improvements. Keep in mind that knowledge isn’t always based on experience. An assertive young agent will take the time to talk to resources, other agent and city officials to really understand what is happening in various pockets. They pay attention to crime, development, schools, and growth.
Has Resources Galore
Great buyer’s agents are the go-to person in a neighborhood. Imagine you are walking through a house you might want to buy but realize the HVAC unit looks like it might need some work. Rather than wait for escrow to start and your inspections to happen, a knowledgeable agent might take a few pictures and text them to an expert resource to get a ballpark idea of the problem and costs. All this before you even make an offer.
In fact, if you asked a knowledgeable agent about resources in the area, they should be able to give you a list of recommended dentists, vets, handymen, and even a great nail salon. These personal extended relationships mean the agent is part of the community or has spent the time to build his credibility within it.
Speaks from Experience
Knowledgeable agents have tons of experience in most cases. Of course, a new agent might be on his very first transaction. But even he has experience and mentors to help guide you through common obstacles in the home buying process. Experience isn’t just the fact that someone has helped 1,000 buyers. Speaking from experience means the real estate agent knows where the common issues will happen. They explain the process to help mitigate your emotional roller coaster as a buyer and explain things like, “what usually happens when we go through inspections is…” to prepare you. Again, even a new agent can use this information; perhaps with a preceding statement about, “mentors have taught me….” This means a newbie has a team of resources and experience behind him. That is good for you as well.