Let’s just cut to the chase: A lot of people are paranoid about the real estate market. Sellers are panicking, buyers are twitching, lenders are, well… not lending, etc. Fingers are being pointed in every direction, congress is holding hearings, presidential candidates are making promises, the whole real estate world seems to have gone nuts.
Since I don’t want to get into the world wide panic, let’s start with something easier: working with Realtors. For those that don’t know, a Realtor is simply a person with a real-estate sales license who is a member of the National Association of Realtors. There. That was easy. There are good Realtors, and not so good Realtors. Now… how can you tell the difference?
You need to go with your gut instinct: Do I trust this person with my financial future? If the answer is not clear, or a flat out “no”, then find another agent.
If you are a seller, and want to list your home with a Realtor, you need to trust, absolutely, that your agent is knowledgable about the market, has a solid strategy in place, and is doing everything in their power to sell your home. If you doubt, at any point, that your agent has your best intentions in mind, you will leave the transaction wondering if you made the right decision. Currently, there are thousands of marketing stratgies, new technologies, staging and preparation techniques, etc. You should trust that the Realtor you hire will know which ones to implement. As I said before, if you do not, then find another Realtor.
The same goes for buyers: If you do not trust that your agent is knowledgable about the product you are looking for, the neighborhood you are looking in, or the amenities you desire, find a new agent. There are plenty of them out there.
Remember, in most cases, we’re talking about a large sum of money changing hands. You should trust everyone that you are working with. Don’t feel obligated to use friends or family members. Follow your instincts.
Good luck!
Tags: Buying Real Estate, Real Estate, Realtors, Selling Real Estate. Real Estate Investing, Trust
