Choosing The Right Realtor For You

So you've decided to list your home and need someone to do the heavy lifting to get it sold? Maybe your family is growing or you're ready to downsize? Looking for the ideal space to call your first home? It's time to call a real estate professional! Choosing the right agent can seem like a daunting task, but we've put together a guide to help keep things simple.

Do I Really Need a Real Estate Agent?

Although you can list and sell your own home, there are many benefits to hiring an agent. A realtor is working in the local market every day, so their knowledge of current pricing trends is invaluable. This can ensure you make the highest profit possible on your home. They know what buyers are looking for and how to stage your home to grab the attention of the right buyers in your price point. Having someone negotiate with your best interests in mind takes the stress off your shoulders. Plus, a great realtor has a wide personal and professional network and utilizes effective marketing strategies to make sure your listing is everywhere it needs to be.

As a buyer, finding the right home is one thing, but submitting a competitive offer is another ball game entirely. The real estate market over the past few years has solidified how important it is to have someone in your corner who knows what they're doing. Purchasing a home can feel overwhelming and even emotional sometimes, so having an objective third-party handle the negotiations and legal aspects is crucial. Agents have access to the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service), showing them the newest homes in the market, including those not yet listed on sites like Zillow or Realtor.com. In most transactions, the buyer isn't responsible for paying any agent commissions at closing, which is one less cost to worry about!

What Should I Look For in a Potential Agent?

• Licensing: It goes without saying, but we'll say it anyway for emphasis: Anyone representing themselves as an agent should be licensed in your particular state! A license requires on-going education and testing for good reason, and your agent should be able to walk you through the process and explain all paperwork with clarity and transparency.
• Responsiveness & Consistency: The real estate market can move fast! Finding someone who responds in a timely manner and consistently communicates can mean the difference in securing the best deal and missing out.
• Knowledge of the Area: A great realtor will be able to offer insight on different areas and neighborhoods, current trends, and other factors that can help narrow down search criteria or price your home.
• Experience: Finding a realtor with specific experience that matches your needs will make things smoother overall (ex: purchasing a condo, investment properties, estate sales, first-time home-buying, etc.).
• Staging & Marketing Knowledge: If you're selling your home, be sure to find out your potential agent's listing process. In most cases, they should have advice on how to clean and stage your home, any obvious repairs that should be made, schedule professional photos, and have a plan for how and where they will be marketing your property.
• Great Reviews: Your agent should have stellar feedback from previous clients, and reviews from past buyers and sellers is super easy to access these days. Make sure to check out agent reviews on sites like Google, Zillow, and Facebook to gain quick, honest insight. 

Once you've narrowed down your candidates, make sure you write down any questions you may have for a possible agent, so that you're ready to discuss those via phone or face-to-face meeting. A realtor's job is to take the mystery and anxiety out of real estate by bringing their honed skills to the table. Your job, as a buyer or seller, should be to breathe easy all the way to closing, knowing your trusted agent has everything in hand.

If we can help in any way to make the process smoother, check out our own Google Reviews to see if The Torgerson Team is the right fit for you!