With endless information available at your fingertips, I’m discovering that the problem isn’t finding an answer to your question—it’s choosing which answer is right for you. All you have to do these days is type ”how to cook a turkey dinner” into Google (yes, I’ve tried it) and you have instructions and recipes galore. Now comes the hard part. As you click and sift through the rubble, do you want basic from-a-box stuffing? Or perhaps a made-from-scratch green apple and sage stuffing? How long to cook the turkey? What method to use? What side-dishes to serve? And this is just food!
Now lets talk Real Estate: Your home; your most precious investment. With the Internet, TV, magazines and books, today’s average sellers and buyers are more knowledgeable than ever. Or so they think they are. (Sure they watch HGTV, they know how it works.) But do you really? Do you know the legal consequences you could face when you sign on the dotted line without really knowing all the facts and how the process works from A-Z? Realtors are there to protect you. To act as your personal representative and to facilitate the business transaction, with the most benefit and least risk to you, as smoothly as possible. At least that’s how I run my business! I admit, as in any other industry, some do ruin it for the rest of us by not living up to the standards of the profession.
So who do you trust to take your best interests to heart during what is almost always a stressful and emotional process? Do you hire the guy who regularly sends his flyers to your mailbox? Or someone whose picture you saw in the paper? What about that friendly agent at the open house on the weekend? And if you have been “burned” before this decision is all the more difficult. So how do you choose the right Realtor?
My opinion? Interview several Realtors. Listen to your instincts. Don’t just choose the agent who quoted you the best price for your house; they might not be able to get you that amount. Match someone to your personality style so you feel comfortable asking questions. Did they arrive on time? Dress appropriately? Were they organized? Did they sound knowledgeable? Did they have a marketing plan in place? Did they mention how often they’d be in contact to update you? Don’t let age or experience fool you either. A Realtor with 20 years behind him might not be any more suitable for you than the enthusiastic 20 something with 4 years under her belt.
My closing advice. Don’t let the dollar signs and fancy sales talk cloud your judgement. I know that’s hard to do, but you will be much happier with your decision to choose a Realtor you really trust and can talk to. As I said it can be a long, stressful, and emotional process and what your home ends up selling for is out of any agents control in the end anyways. The right Realtor for you has a balanced set of skills, is ethical, professional, and makes you feel comfortable from beginning to end.
Desiree McLean