How do you choose a good realtor?

One of the most important requirements in selling a home or buying a new one is to find a good realtor, because someone who is more experienced and knowledgeable will most likely give you the right deal and value for money.

So, how do you go about finding someone who will give you the best real estate advice and clinch a good deal for you? Here are some tips on this.

Ask friends and people you know (who have recently sold their home), about how their experience with their realtor was? Was the realtor a novice or an experienced person? Did they get a good deal and so on? Such references or testimonials are useful in helping you to select a good realtor because with such information you can eliminate realtors who do not have the kind of personality it takes to help you in your situation.

Now-a-days the best way to get information on real estate is the internet. Once you find an agent through search results, look into what they have to say in their website. Is the realtor someone new to this business or does he or she have enough experience in doing real estate? Usually it is better to go in for people who are experienced because they are more aware of the finer nuances of the business than newcomers.

After you have selected a particular agent, call up the person and when you talk, have a real conversation instead of conducting an interview. This way you will get to know their personality and you can find out about how open they are to answering your queries. This is important because you need to choose a realtor who will make you feel comfortable with them, clear your doubts and will not rush you into paperwork.

During the talk find out if the agent is getting his commission based on the price of the house you are going to buy. If so, you would have to be cautious about choosing that agent because they may not have your best interests at heart.

When you speak to the realtor find out how often and when they will call you to provide information. You should get one phone number from the realtor on which you can reach him or her at any time. If this is not available then it is better to search for a realtor who can provide this for you because a good realtor will keep you informed about what’s happening, rather than you making calls to them for information.

Finally it is best to choose a realtor who specializes in the areas in which you are looking to buy or sell your property because they have the necessary expertise on the market trends and the rates of similar homes in your desired location, which means your chances of getting a good deal are enhanced.