What Your Real Estate Agent Never Tells You
As a buyer or seller of real estate, you probably think that all
real estate agents get six (or more) per cent commission, just for
showing you a property.? As a seller, you may see the agent place
your home on the market, hold an open house, then sit back and
wait.? Buyers have agents drive them around different
neighborhoods, they fall in love with a house, the agent writes it
up and the work is done.?
Wrong. On so many counts.?
What your full service real estate agent doesn’t tell you is that
buying or selling a home is not like buying a car. A car
salesperson does just that, sell you a car. The right real estate
agent offers you a lifestyle.? Your home, whether you buy it to
live in or for investment, is probably the single largest
investment you will have.
With that in mind, it is vital that buyers and sellers find the
right real estate agent to work with.? How do you do that?
Real estate agents come in all shapes and sizes, personality wise.
Agents can be a concierge, interior decorator, mediator,
counselor, negotiator, personal assistant, financial advisor,
analyst, friend or all of the above.
JB Bartel of John L. Scott Real Estate, Port Orchard, WA,
considers herself part of a family support team. JB has a graduate
degree from University of Oregon, is a Certified Residential
Specialist (only five percent of realtors nationwide have this)
and is a Graduate of the Real Estate Institute. All this, along
with her outgoing personality, make for the perfect agent for
first time buyers, out of town buyers and the ‘family tree’ of
buyers. JB says, “I take personal responsibility for out of town
buyers. I check the home, if empty, to see that lights, heat and
landscaping are taken care of.”
And you thought all they want is money.
Remember, agents do not get paid until the deal is closed, so many
agents provide concierge service as part of their personal
marketing.
Michael Ley of Parkshore/Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Port
Orchard, WA, uses his analytical skills to “research, collect,
interpret, and disseminate data regarding local real estate
markets”. Michael, who has additional education in Real Estate
Law, says this skill helps prospects make informed decisions.
You cannot get this type of service online! However, you can get
great attention, and more, from a full service real estate agent.
Bea Newhall of Frank Howard Allen, Greenbrae, CA, helps people
become part of the community by helping them have their share of
the American Dream. Because real estate is not an exact science,
each transaction being different, the business is challenging.
The ability to integrate the issues presented to buyers and
sellers requires the real estate agent to be flexible, well versed
about their area and intelligent enough to meld these skills to
complete satisfaction for buyers and sellers.
Bea says, “Client satisfaction is the best thing about being a
realtor”.
You now know that your real estate agent comes in
many shapes and sizes.
In order to find the right fit for yourself, use this check list:?
1. Call friends and family and ask for real estate agent
referrals.
2. Check “For Sale” signs in your neighborhood and jot down the
names.
3. Make appointments with these agents and discuss how they run
their business.
4. Make an informed decision on who to work with based on who
makes you feel the most comfortable and safe.
You never know until you ask and you want the most important
decision in your life to be as stress free as possible. Ask your
prospective real agent the questions that will satisfy you, the
questions that your real estate agents never get asked. piccadilly grand