Top questions to ask BEFORE hiring a real estate agent to buy a home.

Unless you have done it a few times, buying a home is usually a confusing process. It is filled with all sorts of technical details like: mortgage approval, underwriting, title work, inspections, and the list goes on.

When you are getting ready to buy a home, the biggest thing you can do to make the process easy and protect yourself is to hire a great real estate agent. We are going to talk about a few key questions to ask when hiring a real estate agent to help you move you into your dream home.

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Question 1: Do you work as a Realtor full-time?

Many people see getting their real estate license as a great way to make some part-time income. While these people could be great, you are better off going with an agent who is fully committed to his/her career as a Realtor.

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Question 2: What makes you a better choice than other buyer’s agents?

A simple but powerful question. If the answer is something generic like, “ I work harder”, it is not good enough. A professional buyer’s agent should be able to tell you about his/her strategy for the negotiations process or how he/she anticipates and plans for the usual problems that arise for buyers.

Any agent can find houses online, show your them, write up a template offer, and pass you off to an inspector and title company. A real professional knows what differentiates him/her and should be able to communicate it easily to you.

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Question 3: Can you give me a list of references to call?

Get at least 3 references and ACTUALLY call them. When you call, make sure these people are not family members or the agent’s best friend. Ask the references what the agent did to impress them and listen to what they have to say. The answer will give you a lot of insight into how the agent is likely to work with you.

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Question 4: Will you work with me directly through the entire process or will there be other people involved.

The bigger name office like, Keller Williams, Remax, and Century 21, typically have a whole team of people. So instead of working with the agent and maybe one other person, you will be working with an entire team. These teams can consist of listing agent, team leader, receptionist, transaction coordinator, marketing coordinator, and more. This can make communication confusing and you might be telling different people the same things over and over.

As a true professional who is dedicated to his/her clients, he/she will not pass you off to a team so he/she can work on signing up the next buyer. An agent who is committed to getting you results will work with you directly from start to finish to make sure everything is handled properly the first time.

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When you are getting ready to buy a home, choose an agent who puts years of experience to work for you. Choose a J&J Realtor and experience something more. Call us today or fill out the form on our website to get in touch.