How To Find The Best Real Estate Agent

12 Min Read | Jan 17, 2022

Whether y'all're ownership or selling a home, finding a real estate amanuensis you can trust might just be the virtually important conclusion you brand. Afterward all, they'll be helping you manage a transaction that's worth hundreds of thousands of dollars!

It may be tempting to hire the outset real estate agent you talk to, just to salve time and effort. We go it. Life is busy, specially when y'all're making a big transition. But a real estate agent can hands brand or break your home-ownership or home-selling experience.

You don't want to hire a rookie agent who might just be winging information technology. You want a seasoned agent who has what it takes to get the job done. But how do y'all find the right real estate agent for you?

7 Tips to Find a Keen Existent Estate Agent

Here are the peak tips to help you detect the best real manor agents in your expanse and how to narrow downward the correct one for you so you tin can buy or sell a domicile on your timeline and for the right price.

Utilise trusted resources to detect agents near you.
Evaluate their existent estate experience.
Make sure they know your local real estate market.
Bank check the real estate agent'south track tape.
Larn about their customer service.
Interview at to the lowest degree three real estate agents.
Hire someone you actually like.

1. Use Trusted Resources to Find Agents About You

Okay, there are many ways to detect a real estate agent. But to find a peachy i near you, you need to look in the right places:

Use a referral program you trust that vets for the all-time agents—like our Endorsed Local Providers (ELP) program.

Do extensive research online for the best agents in your expanse or where yous plan to move.

Inquire people who had a dandy feel buying or selling a domicile for the amanuensis they used.

Visit open up houses then you tin can meet potential agents in person.

If you think you'd feel more comfortable working with someone y'all know on a personal level, just a heads up: Hiring a friend or relative as your existent estate agent could create some uncomfortable problems.

Detect a trusted real estate agent we recommend in your area.

For instance, they'll probably be peering into your personal finances (similar how much money you make and how you manage information technology all) and that might not be data yous desire lingering effectually your social circles.

And what if something goes wrong with the sale? Housing mistakes are worth tens of thousands of dollars. Even if you have the courage to requite them the boot, who knows how long the tension will last?

Don't make the error of settling for a mediocre agent when you could easily find a top performer who has helped hundreds like you become the job done smoothly and for the best deal.

A couple is laughing together.

2. Evaluate Their Real Estate Experience

Then, now that you know where to notice a groovy existent estate agent, how do you choose the right i for you lot? Yous're not going to choose the best one by flipping a coin. You lot demand to take the agent interview process seriously. That's correct—we said interview process.

Don't forget, this is a huge transaction that'southward worth hundreds of thousands of dollars! You wouldn't trust an amateur with that kind of coin. If you want an expert, don't exist afraid to set the bar high. The good news is that separating the experts from the amateurs isn't rocket scientific discipline. You only need to know what to await for.

How many years of experience should an agent have?

Helping people buy or sell a habitation is a tough task that involves difficult negotiations and marketplace fluctuations. And so you'll desire to find an amanuensis who has a ton of feel. How much experience is enough? Well, that reply depends on whether you lot're ownership or selling.

Buyer'southward agent: If y'all're buying a dwelling, look for a buyer'south agent who has at least two years of total-time real estate experience. Otherwise, you're merely a republic of guinea pig.

Seller'due south agent: Selling, on the other hand, is a flake more than complicated. You want an agent who'due south been working full time for a minimum of four years.

Believe it or non, the typical existent estate agent has a median experience of eight years.ⁱ And if an agent has 10 or more than years under their belt, you can trust that they've sold in the best and worst of times.

What real manor certifications should an amanuensis have?

Okay, there are several fancy-sounding certifications and specializations a existent estate agent may accept, depending on their expanse of expertise. We'll pause down some of the most common ones. Hope you similar acronyms!

CRS (Certified Residential Specialist): awarded to pinnacle-performing agents (highest credential)

ABR® (Accredited Buyer Representative): given to professionals who have completed specific preparation for representing buyers in a existent estate transaction

ASR® (Accredited Seller Representative): given to professionals who accept completed specific training for representing sellers in a real estate transaction

SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist): given to those who have completed grooming to aid buyers and sellers over the age of 50

Realtor®: given to members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR)

You shouldn't choose an agent based solely on their certifications, but knowing what kind they have and what exactly they mean can give yous confidence that your agent is qualified at helping people in your detail situation.

3. Make Sure They Know Your Local Real Estate Market

General real estate experience is a big gene, merely it's every bit of import that your agent has helped people buy and sell lots of homes in your area. If you live in Birmingham, Alabama, you want an agent who knows what the real manor market place is like in Birmingham. Information technology doesn't exercise you much good if they know all about existent manor in a suburb or a boondocks an hr away.

Hither'south what to look for to determine whether or not the agent you lot're interviewing has the local expertise you want:

Do they close a lot of homes?

Past "a lot," nosotros mean dozens of houses. This is where the experts really shine. Trust the states, you don't desire to hire your Aunt Nancy who sold three homes last yr. Yous'll regret it, and that's the kind of drama you lot don't want at Thanksgiving dinner.

Find a seasoned real estate amanuensis who either closes at least 35 homes a year or more than homes than 90% of the agents in their market. It takes hard work and a good reputation to become that kind of business. A high-volume agent like that eats, sleeps and breathes real estate. Now, that's who y'all want!

If you're selling your firm, an agent who is that successful can beget to provide a full marketing program and may even hire extra back up to make sure home sales don't miss a trounce.

When it comes to buying a house, working with an amanuensis who'due south an practiced negotiator ensures yous aren't overpaying on your new identify. A high-volume agent also has admission to many available homes and may even know most homes before they hitting the market.

Are they invested in your local community?

Plainly, an amanuensis who's sold a lot of homes in your surface area has proven expertise. But you desire an agent who does more merely rattle off facts. They should have personal ties to your community and empathize what makes your particular corner of the globe special. Do you live in a hot marketplace? That makes it even more than of import to work with an agent who gets it!

iv. Cheque the Real Estate Agent's Track Tape

Information technology's of import to know that your amanuensis is a top performer. You're looking for an amanuensis who prices homes accurately and then gets them to the closing table. A few key metrics can help yous know their skill level in these areas.

How accurate is their pricing?

Information technology doesn't take much to figure this out. Inquire an agent the average request cost and concluding sales price of the homes they've listed. And then divide the last cost by the request price. This number—as well known as the auction-to-list ratio—tin can help you predict how accurately your agent prices the homes they sell.

The closer an agent's sale-to-list ratio is to 100%, the more than accurate their pricing—and the better the chance of getting the asking price for your house. A ratio over 100% means an agent consistently gets above the asking price on homes they sell.

At present, if y'all're buying a home, you can evaluate the auction-to-list ratio on the homes an agent helps clients buy as well, which is a good indicator of how well they will negotiate on your behalf. For this ratio, a number below 100 means a buyer's amanuensis consistently gets below asking price on abode purchases.

Find out how long it typically takes them to shut a habitation.

There's no guarantee that the agent will be able to help you buy or sell a domicile within a sure time frame. But having an thought of what to await can be helpful, specially if you're selling a house. If you're trying to sell your dwelling on a tight timeline, you want to choose an agent who volition work hard to become it sold quickly.

5. Acquire About Their Customer Service

A real estate agent talks with two clients.

If yous're entrusting a real estate agent with helping yous purchase or sell a home, yous shouldn't accept to await 5 days for them to return your phone call or respond to a text. These are the questions you need to ask to make certain they're going to exist by your side through every step of the procedure.

How do they communicate with their real estate clients?

Communication is cardinal in whatever real manor transaction. If your amanuensis isn't responding to you in a reasonable corporeality of time and it's costing yous opportunities, you and your agent are missing out!

You demand a real estate agent who is both highly responsive and honest to a fault. Await for someone who tin exist blunt in the nicest style possible. The last affair you want is an agent who will give you fake expectations about your domicile. Whether you like it or not, information technology's in your best interest for them to call it like they see it.

Do y'all have options if you lot're unhappy with the job they're doing?

Be wary of agents who lock you into a lengthy contract that they tin get out of—but yous can't. If you're required to sign a contract, inquire your amanuensis if you can abolish without a penalty if you're not satisfied with their service. And exist aware that some agents accuse a termination fee to embrace out-of-pocket marketing expenses.

Talk with their past clients.

Want to know the good, the bad and the ugly? Nada beats talking to a former customer about their personal experience with an amanuensis! When you interview real manor agents, brand sure they provide a listing of past clients for you to contact.

6. Interview at Least Three Real Estate Agents

Consider this a real interview! These types of questions will help you spot the truly bang-up agents and set the right expectations for the process:

How volition you help me sell and/or buy a dwelling house in a competitive market?

Do I accept to sign a contract with you? Can I cancel without penalty?

Who tin I contact for a reference?

For a handy checklist full of even more important questions to ask, download our existent estate agent interview worksheet!

Put your amanuensis in the hot seat with these 10 questions.

Download your Amanuensis Interview Worksheet and confidently choose the all-time agent for y'all.

If there are other things yous want to know, at present is the time to inquire. Don't be afraid to speak up! A great agent volition patiently and thoroughly answer any question you have because they want you lot to accept all the data you need to make a confident decision.

7. Hire Someone You lot Actually Like

Expertise matters, just chemistry also matters with dwelling house sales. This is a person you're going to spend a swell bargain of time with over the adjacent couple months. Even if the real estate amanuensis y'all're because checks all the right boxes of what an agent should do, you notwithstanding need to enquire yourself: Is this someone I like and trust?

You don't have to be best friends with your agent. In fact, it'southward probably better if y'all're not. Only you do demand to gel with them, and then to speak.

Exercise they make you feel even more stressed than you were before? Do they seem to be dodging your questions and running around like a chicken with their caput cut off?

The right agent volition brand sure y'all understand the process and carefully respond any questions you have without adding any stress to the mix.

Find the Best Real Manor Agent for Yous

You don't have to look far to find a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home. Chances are, you lot already know a few in your area. But with then much money on the line, it'southward of import to really consider your options to discover the all-time amanuensis for y'all.

If y'all want a high-operation real estate agent, try our Endorsed Local Providers (ELP) program. These agents have loftier standards of customer service, and they know exactly what it takes to assist you lot buy or sell a home. We merely recommend the best of the best.

Information technology'southward gratuitous to become connected, and then you tin can find the amanuensis that's correct for you. Don't settle when it comes to choosing an amanuensis to stand for you.

Find your agent!

Interested in becoming an Endorsed Local Provider? Permit united states of america know.

Ramsey Solutions

Almost the author

Ramsey Solutions

Ramsey Solutions has been committed to helping people regain command of their money, build wealth, abound their leadership skills, and heighten their lives through personal development since 1992. Millions of people have used our financial advice through 22 books (including 12 national bestsellers) published past Ramsey Press, besides every bit two syndicated radio shows and 10 podcasts, which have over 17 million weekly listeners.