Real Estate Secrets Revealed: Finding the Perfect Agent for You.

There are many reasons for buying and selling a home.  Whatever your reason is, you are now ready to hit the market and start looking for a good agent, but where to begin?

In just one Pasadena Real Estate office alone, there are 201 agents.  Now consider how many offices there are in and around the city and you get some idea of how many agents are looking for your business.  The competition can be fierce.  This is good news for you, because it means that you have a myriad of choices. 

But how do you find the best agent for you?  First, make a list of agents with whom you would like to make contact.  With so many of us, we are easy to find:  on the pages of the Patch, your local bus stop bench, your local super market check stand divider, main street billboard, your local newspaper, online magazine, your mail box, on top of the note pad stuck to your refrigerator door, and you could even ask a friend.   With so many of us and so many ways of marketing ourselves, it is not difficult to come up with some names to start your list.  Name recognition is a big part of our business.  However, just because you recognize a name that you have seen or heard repeatedly does not mean that this is the right person for you, you still need to do your homework.

When making a list, choose different agents from different companies with different backgrounds, and then make appointments to speak with them.  It will probably facilitate the process if you start by telephone.  Quite often you can get a feel for an agent just by speaking with them over the phone.  Are they listening to what you are saying?  Do you like their answers?  Are they distracted by something else?  Can they give you a prompt in-person appointment?  Start by asking some simple questions and see how quickly they respond.   Remember that not everyone knows everything, but a diligent agent will find answers to more difficult questions and include them in a rapid response.  If you are selling, ask the agent how they would market your home:  MLS, newspapers, open houses, personalized web site, brochures, and email flyers to name a few.  Asking for references and samples of previous marketing materials is not uncommon.  Someone who is proficient at what they do will be happy to have the chance to answer questions and demonstrate their knowledge and abilities.  If you are on the purchasing end, some initial questions might include:  What geographical areas do they specialize?  How will they “search” for properties and present them?  Will they be able to adjust to your specific needs (are you a “needy” client who needs a lot of personal attention or do you like to search on your own and narrow things down?).   

 Ask them what your options are and see how inventive that agent can be, but remember if something seems too good to be true, it most likely is.  When my wife and I purchased our very first home, like many, we had a dream.  However, our upper budget would not get us into the home we preferred.  Consequently, we purchased a house with units in the back instead, priced 50% higher than for what we qualified because the rents from the units also counted as personal income.  It did mean that we had to live amongst our tenants, but it got us into a desirable neighborhood, and a few years later we were able to purchase the home we really wanted.

Three simple business techniques that have worked very well for me in the past:

1)         The Comfort Factor

When things go askew, the most common complaint you hear after the fact is, “I never did feel comfortable with that agent…I knew something like this was going to happen…I never did like her…I should never have trusted my brother”…and the list goes on.  My point here is that most people get some kind of initial indication that they are entering into an unfavorable arrangement that will conclude poorly if they work with that particular agent.  SO DO NOT DO IT.  Regardless of whether it is a family member or a friend, or someone you work with or the highest selling realtor in the city, if you are uncertain about someone or something regarding that agent, DO NOT DO IT.  For me it is that simple.  There is huge competition for your business and this is quite possibly the most significant purchase of your entire life.   Who cares if you hurt someone’s feelings?  This is your family…your time…your home…your money—your life.

2)         The Likability Factor.

One of my little secrets is the likability factor.  In my opinion, it just makes common sense.   I pose this question:  do you like your agent?  Furthermore, does your agent like you?  Some might say, “who cares, as long as they are good?”  For me, this is not always advantageous…and here is why.  How many times in the past has someone you don’t like done something nice for you?  I am not saying it doesn’t happen but in general, it is unlikely.   When push comes to shove, the person who is going to be an advocate for you is the person that likes you the most.  Ask yourself another question:  what would you do and how far would you go for someone you don’t like?  If you are working with an agent who has several clients with similar needs to your own, this is a good way to put yourself at the top of their priority list. 

In this world, there is a diversity of personalities.  There are always many people with whom you have something in common and many with whom you do not.   Therefore, simply select someone you find likeable.  If nothing else, it will always make your business interactions so much more pleasant and enjoyable and you may even make a new friend.

3)         The Love Factor.

Does the person I am working with love what they do?  This again just seems to make common sense.  There are many people that follow a career based on the anticipation of lucrative income, but for every one of them there is someone else that really loves what they do.  It has been my experience that you will get a lot more mileage out of someone who loves what they do than who is solely in it to make a sale.  Don’t get me wrong, we all need to get paid, but someone only in it for the money is not going to give you the attention you deserve.

I have asked several people how they would find an agent.  Here are some of the most common responses and my take on their choices.

I would go with a company whose name is branded.

 Despite what you may think of a company name, the person with whom you will be doing business on a daily basis is the agent, not their company.  There is a good chance in today’s internet market that you will rarely, if ever, visit their main office space.  If you are like most people, when you find an agent you really like you are probably willing to follow him/her anywhere.  Therefore, your search should start with the agent.  If you consider the agent less valuable and you would stick with the firm if your agent left, then perhaps branding is for you.

 I know someone in town who makes so many deals, I only want to go with him/her.

 Agents who have been in the business a long time often have many current clients that keep them fairly busy.  This can be beneficial if they know someone in the market that is either selling or looking for a place that correlates with your needs.  That said, if an agent states that they already have a client that would be interested in your home during your initial consultation, be aware that this could be a technique just to secure your business, and once that agent has your listing, this so-called “client” no longer exists (or found another more “appropriate” property).  Also, be mindful that there is such a thing as too busy.  Insure you are getting your fair share of your agent’s time, and if you find yourself mainly working with the assistant, then make sure that the assistant is as good as you anticipated the primary agent was going to be.  I have known clients who have selected an agent based on reputation, but because they had to wait two weeks for their first appointment, chose an alternate agent realizing it was probably indicative of what was to come.

An open house is a good place to meet an agent.

The person that told me this reasoned that the agent must be doing something right in order to have this listing.  Whereas this may be a good place for you to feel free to chat unconditionally with an agent, just be aware that it is not always the listing agent holding the open house.  There is a good possibility that it is another agent from the same office who would like some exposure or conceivably a new agent looking for business.

I like my cousin (friend etc.), but they are new to the business and I don’t want to be their first client.

Your cousin may be new to the business, but there is a good chance that he is enrolled in a mentor program within his Real Estate firm.  This means that new agents with no experience are paired up with a seasoned professional, holding their hand and guiding them every step of the way until they have closed a given amount of contracts.  It is also common practice that your cousin will be splitting his commission with that mentor.  This will give the mentor the added incentive to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible for you.  Sometimes this can work in your favor, because someone new might be “gung ho” and willing to do anything in addition to having the time to do so.  You ultimately know your cousin and you also know from past experiences with him if he is a dedicated, responsible, hard worker and how much he enjoys doing what he does. That is your call.

I see this company’s name everywhere and they seem to sell faster.

In today’s market where technology is moving faster than the speed of light and the information highway is operating in the fast lane, all resources are available for all to share.  No one person has a secret magic bullet anymore.  All the standard resources are available to all agents no matter who they work for.  We share MLS, Associations, internet marketing strategies, you name it—we can all put our hands on it.  The tools are there and for all to share.  What will make the difference is how much time your agent is going to give you, how hard they are willing to work, and to what extent they will adjust these tools and strategies to match your unique situation.

Good luck and happy hunting.  And as my mother always said, “take care of the people first and the business will take care of itself”.

Billy Malone – Sun Realtors – ban1997@sbcglobal.net

billysrealestate.com