5 Things Home Buyers Should Expect From a Real Estate Agent
Picking the right real estate agent can seem like a crap shoot. Hopefully you choose an agent that has a great track record, understands your market and maybe even one you like. Your agent works for you and they should be working hard to find you the perfect home. A realtor wears many hats but at the end of the day their job is to find you a house. Here are the top five things you should expect from your real estate agent.
1. Set You Up with Private Home Tours
A real estate agents number one job is to get you inside of as many houses as necessary until they find the perfect home for you. A realtor will schedule private home tours for you to visit so you can see the home at your own pace without any distractions. This is also a time for your agent to better understand your needs by seeing what you like and dislike in person.
Private home tours are also a great time to ask your real estate agent questions about the house. You should find out their perspective, and what they like or dislike about the home. Your agent should be able to tell you when the home came on the market, if the home is priced fairly and, if you’re interested, what type of offer you should make.
There is no set number of homes that a good realtor will show you. Scheduling will largely depend on your urgency and number of available homes. This may go on for a period of days, weeks or even longer. Some agents will show you a handful of homes in one day while others may show you as many as possible until you cry Uncle.
2. Alert You to New Homes
Your realtor should be informing you of al new homes that hit the market that meet your criteria. Getting to a new home first, especially in a hot market, can mean the difference between finding the perfect home or settling for something that’s just ok.
Your agent should have a sense of urgency when it comes to newly listed homes. They should also create a sense of urgency in you. There are plenty of websites that allow you to see what’s been on the market for days, weeks or even months. Your agent should have the fast track to new listings and get you in front of those homes as soon as possible.
3. Preview Homes for You
When your ready to buy a home previewing them should be a priority. Schedules are what they are, however, and sometimes you can’t make the trip. Agents should be previewing homes for you. Hopefully they are doing this on a regular basis so they can make qualified recommendations to you early in the process.
Seller agents also will host agent only open houses. This is a chance for several agents to view a home and determine if it’s right for their clients. Your agent should be viewing homes, even without you, and informing you of homes that they feel meet your needs. If your agent is scouting out homes for you it will save you time and hopefully help you get into the home of your dreams more quickly.
4. Send You Listings Outside Your Criteria
One of your real estate agents jobs is to help you think outside the box. When you first meet with them you’re going to go over a list of criteria to help refine your search and begin looking for a home. They’ll need to know what neighborhoods you’d like to live, how many bedrooms and bathrooms you desire, what type of home you’re looking for and a whole host of other things.
A good agent will understand what is a must have and what criteria is flexible. Maybe they’ve found the perfect home but it’s in a zip code outside your preferred area. Perhaps a beautiful house has come on the market but it is attached instead of a single family home. Altering some criteria can help bolster others such as paying less or getting more just by tweaking the rules a bit.
5. Help You Filter Out the Noise
Buying a home, especially the first time, can be an overwhelming experience. There is so much to learn and so much information to filter it’s impossible to know where to focus. Your real estate agent is a guide, a mentor and sometimes a therapist. They will help you understand what to expect and help deliver those expectations.
A great real estate agent is one that understands your needs, offers great advice and is a cheerleader for you. They should be there to answer all your questions, soothe your anxiety and, most importantly, help find you a home.