The one question that we often get asked by sellers and buyers in Houston, Texas is, “Where do you start looking for a reputable real estate agent?” A lot of people don’t know this but it’s actually not easy finding a reputable realtor while selling or even buying my home.
If you think about it, you’ll be looking for someone who’s supposed to help you make the most important financial decision in your life, and that person is a complete stranger! There’s no relationship cultivated over the years, or even anything to go on.
Finding a realtor is an uphill battle. Aside from the fact that the process is time consuming, most referrals are either family-related or good friends. Thus, not reliable. And Google is not really an option considering you could find an agent who:
- Doesn’t have any negotiation skill
- Always sets the asking price too high
- Doesn’t match your personality
- Isn’t interested in what you have to say
- Isn’t licensed
And once you realize that relationship isn’t working for you, you’ll be forced to go back to where you started, and that means interviewing hundreds or other applicants.
As a homebuyer or seller in Houston, Texas, you have to do your due diligence. Use objective transaction data that normally cuts through the terrible apples. At the end of the day, you’ll just be left with a handful of applicants that you can interview and trust.
a. The data will narrow your search
In every neighborhood, there will always be hundreds of potential realtors. And they’ll be like sharks, hungry for your business. So the first step is to eliminate the flops. How do you do that? You analyze their past transactions. In the real estate business, the past is usually a strong indicator of future success.
b. Speak to the applicants
Don’t make the final decision after just one interview. We Buy Fast Houston Houses thinks interviewing at least five different real estate agents will give you an insight of the industry. Even if all of them have great competitive stats, you still have to build a rapport.
c. Ask questions
There will be things that you’ll want but the agent won’t be ready to make a compromise. We’re talking about deal breakers. What are your deal breakers? The following are some of the questions that you have to ask potential realtors before signing any dotted line:
- On average, what are you days on market?
- How many houses have you managed to sell in the past year?
- What sale to price ratio do you work with?
- Have you ever sold a house in my neighborhood?
- What are your priorities?
By the way, you don’t have to work with a real estate agent if you don’t feel like it. We Buy Fast Houston Houses will always come to your aid. So if you have a hard time selling, just send us a message and we’ll right away get back to you.
Also, we typically close deals within a week, so that’s a plus.