HOW AND WHEN TO FIND A REALTOR

The moment you make the exciting decision to purchase a home, the search for a Realtor should begin. Remember, the commission is usually paid by the seller, so you get to have a Realtor represent you at no cost (the exception may be if you sign a buyer/broker agreement and there is no commission offered by a seller).

There are several ways to find the perfect Realtor for you. One of the best ways (and Realtors like this too) is to ask people you trust. Did they have a good experience? What did they like about their Realtor? Did they feel like they were well represented? Be sure that you ask about Realtors that work the neighborhoods you are interested in. You might find a great Realtor, but if they are not familiar with the neighborhoods you have chosen, they will not know the idiosyncrasies of that neighborhood, which is critical. A good Realtor will tell you if they feel comfortable helping you in your selected locations. Interview several Realtors and select the one you feel you can trust.

If some of the people you ask give a bad review of an agent, you might want to listen carefully to what they are saying and ask a few more questions. Did the person take the advice of their Realtor or feel that they knew better? Were they available to look at property when their Realtor called? Did they take the advice of their Realtor when writing an offer, or did they insist on writing it their own way? Particularly regarding the offering price, the Realtor will know what it will take for the buyer to get the property. Sometimes buyers can be their own downfall.

Trust is huge in the real estate experience. Your purchase can actually be smooth and fun as long as you have a Realtor you trust...and nothing will throw an experience like a buyer and Realtor who are constantly questioning each other. If you do not feel you can trust your Realtor, then you should not hire him or her.

Search for Realtors on the internet. Read their biography. If they write blogs, read them. See if they have comments from previous clients and if so, what the clients have to say. Many times you can find where they sell homes so you know if they sell in the areas you are looking.

While it is tempting to select a Realtor according to how many of their signs you see in the location you want to buy, don't rely on this completely. Sometimes Realtors are more listing agents than selling agents, so they may not be the best Realtor for you. If you go this approach, interview them. Ask how many homes they have sold in which they represented the buyers.

Ask the Realtor you are interviewing if they have a buyers agent they use. Will you be working with the Realtor or the buyers agent? If it is the buyers agent, you may want to rethink using that Realtor...after all, the trust is with the Realtor you interviewed...not their buyers agent. If you still want to work with that Realtor, ask to interview their buyers agent.

While experience is certainly a factor, many times the newer Realtors have loads of energy, initiative and drive. If you connect with a newer Realtor, ask them if they have someone who they can call if something arises that they don't know how to handle. Most of the time, they will have a mentor or broker who will be there if the need arises.

In summary, find a Realtor as soon has you have made the decision to purchase. Make sure it is someone you feel you can trust. Do your homework. And then...have fun!!!

BUYERS...USE YOUR REALTOR!

The beauty of teaming up with a Realtor for buyers is that it usually does not cost them a dime...and will maximize their possibility of purchasing the property they are looking for.
However, there are many steps a buyer can take that will help their Realtor give them the very best service possible.

• Be honest with the purchase price for which you can qualify. A Realtor needs to know your top qualifying price, even if you don't want to go that high. The reason for this is while you may not want to go that high, you are probably looking that high on the internet and ads. You will get frustrated with your Realtor for not showing you properties that you might consider because they aren't aware you can go higher than the price range they are looking. Just tell them that while you can qualify for X, you only want to go as high as Y. This way, if there is the perfect house out there that you would make an exception for, your Realtor can at least show it to you.
• Be available. If you are serious about purchasing, then you need to be available to view property. This becomes particularly pertinent in this market of multiple offers. If you are an out of town buyer, it will be better to simply wait until you are in town to look at property. Making offers on properties you have not seen is not looked upon kindly by listing agents or their sellers. Once you are in town, be prepared to write an offer. Have your prequalification letter in hand.
• Be flexible. Your Realtor is going to show you homes that fit within the parameters you have given them. It is unusual for one property to have all of the features you are looking for. Most of the time, I find buyers fall in love with one or two aspects of the home and are willing to forgo some of their other needs to enjoy the features they like. Sticking to a strict list will make your home search frustrating to everyone.
• Once you have decided on a property, stick with it. You have an accepted offer...lucky you! Backing out once could be excused...backing out multiple times is discouraging for your Realtor who gets excited for you only to find out that you have changed your mind...again. At some point, if this continues, your Realtor will probably put you on on a back burner and pay more attention to more motivated buyers that they are working with.
• Trust your Realtor. You have selected that Realtor for a reason; a referral, meeting them at an open house, reading about them on the internet. Whatever the reason, once you have made that decision, trust that they are working for your best interests. They will consult you on properties available, proper offering prices, the best terms to write up and negotiate the inspection results. Their experience and expertise should be taken advantage of. If you don't feel you can trust them, then you have selected the wrong Realtor...kindly explain that it isn't working for you and move on to another Realtor who you feel you can trust.

Approach your home search and purchase in this way and you have maximized your Realtors ability to help you...and have a great experience along the way!