Hiring a Realtor: Necessary Tips to Consider

When hiring realtors, it's important to note that not all realtors are the same. You'll find companies that are cheap, some that use the best real estate tools (and some that don't) and you'll find some that charge an arm and a leg. The key, is finding a quality realtor that you feel comfortable with and does a job that is up to or exceed your expectations. To do this, we've listed the top factors to keep in mind when looking to hire a realtor.

Pro Tip:

Ask for Realtor Referrals

One of the first few places to start when you're looking to hire realtors is your friends, neighbors and co-workers. You'll want to ask them if they know of a real estate company that they have hired before that they would recommend or refer.

If you have a specific issue with your real estates, like when sellers are emotional, you can ask for referrals of real estate companies that they know of that have helped them with their when sellers are emotional or whatever other issue you are having (ie. when the local market conditions are not Ideal, when neighborhood reputation is a deal breaker, when home buyers are unrealistic, when you disagree over pricing the home, etc.)

Pro Tip:

Reviews of Realtors

After checking out references that you received for realtors, you'll want to check online reviews. You should be able to find online reviews for just about any realtor in your local area. This can very helpful, but can also be overwhelming and misleading at times. Here are a few guidelines to help you as you sift through all of the reviews:

An overwhelmingly positive or negative review of a realtor could be a sign of a fake review- so take that into considerations.

Make a special note of realtors that have received a great deal of reviews. A lot of reviews combined with 4.5 to 5 stars is a big sign that the real estate company got those legitimately.

Keep an eye out for reviews that compare their experience with other realtors. Giving these details adds validity to the reviewer who has actually hired a local realtor.

Here are a few examples of valid reviews of realtors:

"I was seeking an appraisal for the estate of a deceased relative. Mr. Brown understood exactly what I needed--including what the Register of Wills would need. He responded to my request very quickly, was extremely courteous, showed up on time and delivered the high quality appraisal exactly when he said he would . An excellent professional with whom to work!"

"They did more than paint. They repaired the wall where the water damage and plumbers messed up, and the old seams showing through in my great room. It looks clean and smooth, we're so happy with it. He also removed the old flooring, saving the undamaged laminate from the water leak damage so I can use it for another project; laid a new laminate floor, resolved an issue with trim around the 16 x 30 inch brick hearth with a rounded edge. He put up with my "need for perfection" attitude until it was completed to my satisfaction."

"Ed was very knowledgeable and professional. He reviewed each of the properties - taking his time to be sure that he had the correct information. Ed gave us the appraisals within 10 days of viewing the properties with a full report. I would highly recommend this company."

Pro Tip:

Realtor References

Once you have gathered referrals and checked online reviews of the real estate companies, you want to call the company directly and ask them for at least 2 recent references. These should be from customers they have completed work for within the past month. Also, you can ask for references for specific issues like when the local market conditions are not Ideal, when sellers are emotional, when neighborhood reputation is a deal breaker, when you disagree over pricing the home, when home buyers are unrealistic or just general real estate issues. Here are some questions you could ask the realtors' references:

What work did the realtor do for you? A small real estate issue or big real estate issue will give you insight as to the scale of the project. Was it for when neighborhood reputation is a deal breaker, when home buyers are unrealistic, when the local market conditions are not Ideal, when you disagree over pricing the home, when sellers are emotional or just general real estate issues?

Did the realtor provide a contract with details of the work? Did they provide what methods will be used, possible issues, etc.

How was the staff that completed the real estate work? Professional, clean, friendly? Ask about the things that you care about.

Was the real estate work completed per the agreed upon budget?

How were the realtors results? Did they meet or exceed your expectations?

Would you hire the realtor again?

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when the local market conditions are not Ideal

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Always make sure the real estate company is using the proper tools and a specialized real estate software that is custom to the industry. Servgrow is a popular software among real estate companies.

Licensed and Insured Real Estate Company

When hiring a realtor, that last think you want to do is hire one that is not a legitimate business and has no license and insurance. Just because you know that real estate companies should be licensed, bonded and insured, don't take this for granted.

Realtors that do not have a license will most likely try to cut corners because they understand that they are not as accountable for their work. In fact, it's illegal for them to operate without a license.

Professional real estate companies will have no problem showing you all the necessary documents, licenses and insurance to operate their business.

Final Notes on Hiring a Realtor

Hiring a realtor can be challenging at first, but using these tips above should get you started in the right direction. And keep in mind that it could take a couple different realtors that you hire before finding that perfect one- and when you find that perfect one, don't let them go!

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Hiring a Realtor: Necessary Tips to Consider

Pro Tip:

Ask for Realtor Referrals

Pro Tip:

Reviews of Realtors

Pro Tip:

Realtor References

Pro Tip:

Pro Tip:

Licensed and Insured Real Estate Company

Final Notes on Hiring a Realtor

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