Buying or selling a home in the Seattle area can be both a thrilling and stressful experience at the same time. An experienced real estate agent can help the entire process go a lot more smoothly and help you avoid any potential pitfalls.
When it comes time to choose a real estate agent, how do you know whom to hire?
Sure, you could check out their Yelp! Page, or visit any number of review sites, but does that really mean they’re the right agent for you?
We’re going to look at five tips that you can use to help you choose the right real estate agent when it comes time to buy or sell your Seattle home.
Post-and-Pray?
There are two types of real estate agents: The “post-and-pray” types, and those who actively try to market and sell your house. A post-and-pray realtor will put your home up on the Multiple Listing System (MLS) and then hope someone will contact them. This passive way of marketing can result in a house sitting on the market for months at a time – potentially longer in a downturned market.
A good realtor worth his or her salt will be able to tell you exactly how they intend to market your home once you retain their services. This goes above and beyond posting to internet sites like Zillow the MLS. They will have a vast network of potential buyers and sellers to reach out to and know exactly where and how to market and stage an open house.
Disciplinary Actions
Is your realtor licensed and have they had any disciplinary actions filed against them?
Real estate agents in Washington are required by law to have a valid license. If they’ve broken the law or failed in their fiduciary duty to their clients, the board can revoke their license and assess penalties.
You can easily check to see if they have a valid license or have had a disciplinary action filed against them by visiting the Washington State Department of Licensing website.
Testimonials
In addition to checking out the internet review sites, ask the real estate agent if they can provide a list of client testimonials. While the review sites can give you an indication of who or what the agent is about, they should be taken with a grain of salt as its near-impossible to determine if the review is legitimate or not.
This is why client testimonials are so important. They’re actual past clients who had such a great experience, that they willfully gave up some of their personal time to write a review. This can give you a sense of what you can come to expect when working with the real estate agent.
Ask the Right Questions
There’s no shortage of Seattle real estate agents to choose from. You can help narrow down this list by asking questions that will give you a better idea if they’re the right person who can sell your home.
Some great questions to ask are:
• What qualifications do you have above and beyond your realtor’s license? Such skills as a Master Certified Negotiation Expert (MCNE) can mean all the difference when negotiating cost.
• How many homes have you sold in the past year?
• How long did it take to sell those homes?
• How many sales were near the original asking price?
By asking these questions are more, you’ll be better able to decide if the realtor is going to go the extra mile in helping you buy or sell your home.
Knowledge of the Local Area
A good realtor should not only know the local market but the area and people as well. Each neighborhood in the greater Seattle area has hidden gems that only an expert realtor would know about. They can even suggest a community that you’d fall in love with based on your personal preferences.
Knowledge of the local market not only includes the value of houses in a particular area, but the school districts, shopping areas, and places of recreation. A realtor who knows the little ins and outs of any given area in Seattle is well worth his weight in gold.
Seattle Real Estate Agent
If you’re in the market to buy or sell a Seattle home, give me a call at (206) 953-8311 or stop by my website. I love the Seattle area and the high quality of life it has to offer. My priority is to focus on the individual needs of the client, then negotiate hard on your behalf. I will work hard to ensure that your next home purchase or sale meets or exceeds your expectations.
