How To Avoid Hiring The Wrong Real Estate Agent

In what will likely be the biggest investment you make in your life, buying a home needs the attention and assistance a professional real estate agent can provide. But not just any real estate agent, it's important to find the "right" one. You want to make sure you're hiring an agent who has the local experience, dedication, and drive to ensure you're provided the tools and skills to walk away from a closing knowing your needs were met. Let's jump into issues you can face if you don't have the right agent on your team.

1. THE "WRONG" AGENT WON'T LISTEN.

It's important to find a real estate agent that sits down with you and actually listens to your needs. They should ask you questions and then sit back and take the time to hear what you have to say. What type of home do you want? Where do you want to live? Does the commute to school or work have to be a certain distance? These are just some the many questions a good agent will start with. Working with an agent that doesn't take the time to listen to your real estate needs will end up wasting your time and sending you homes to look at that don't match your needs. Sit down with an agent that wants to get to know your needs and wants to help you achieve your goal of buying your dream house.

If you are working with a real estate rebate agent, you may have already found the home of your dreams and are in need of an agent that will listen and provide feedback on how to write the best offer. Make sure you are still clear on what your needs are and why you feel this home is best for you. Your agent should be a professional who has worked with many home buyers and sellers and has an understanding of the neighborhood (schools, market value and recent sales) so that he can confirm your decision.

2. YOU'LL GET TERRIBLE ADVICE.

Choosing the wrong agent means you'll find yourself in situations with terrible advice. Make sure you choose an agent that is able to give you the proper direction when it comes to the entire home sale process. From negotiations, to repairs, you want to ensure you choose a trusted adviser that can guide you on the right path. Your agent should advise you based on your must-haves and understand the current and future market in the area you are considering purchasing in. Whether you are thinking of buying a fixer-upper in an up and coming neighborhood or a turn-key new construction home in the hottest new development community, choose an agent that is very familiar with the area and it's comps so that you are getting the best advice.

3. THEY WON'T NEGOTIATE THE BEST DEAL FOR YOU

A great agent will negotiate for you to get the price you want and the terms you want. Now this isn't to equate to unrealistic negotiation expectations of what the market will sell a home for - because that can mean losing your dream house. But the "wrong" agent won't bother to negotiate on any part of the sales process and will give up you or tell you to look for something else. You want to find an agent that not only negotiates for you, but does it in an effective way and advises you on the best steps to take, to ensure you still get the terms you want and need in order to purchase your dream home.

4. DIFFICULT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH

A great agent has a set and active schedule that allows you to get in touch with them, or a member of their team, on a reasonable time frame. The "wrong" agent will be difficult to get a hold of, even not getting back to you for days (sometimes even weeks.) To find a great agent, you want to find one that has dedicated business hours or has a team available that allow you to get in touch with them at anytime during those hours, and is available to call you back if they miss your call, in a timely manner. This is incredibly important during the buying or sales process, if something needs immediate attention, and your agent is nowhere to be found, you can lose the deal and the perfect home! 

5. CAN LEAD TO A LEGAL MESS

The "wrong" agent can be unethical, or simply not have the proper knowledge about the legalities within the industry that is standard for agents to follow through on. As a professional, in an industry with a lot of accompanying laws, it's a great agent's job to know how to protect you throughout the sales process, while providing the necessary contracts and guidance to ensure you're protected by the decisions you make as well. The transaction process should be smooth, with assurance throughout that you are on track and that things are going as they should.

6. AN UNHAPPY BUYING EXPERIENCE

If you're buying your first home, or you're purchasing your dream home, you don't want the experience to be traumatizing. A great agent will be able to navigate the bumps that come up within the sales process in an experienced and professional manner. The "wrong" agent will create a mess of the sales process, not find you the right home, and you can end up with a home you don't actually love, agreeing to terms that do not work for your family or buying a home with too many issues. Find a great agent that knows the process and can ensure it goes as smoothly as possible, giving you the time to prepare for common situations that may cause delays. Although some things can occur that neither party is aware of, having an experienced agent will help you through general hurdles that could arise through the sale.

You need the right agent to help you buy the right home.