How To Pick a Residential Real Estate Agent
How To Pick a Residential Real Estate AgentBy [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kay_Barchetti]Kay Barchetti
Many people spend less time picking a real estate agent than they spend deciding where to eat lunch. Real estate agents are like belly buttons: Everybody has one! Everybody knows or works with or is related to, plays tennis or softball with, goes to the movies, lives with, even sleeps with, a real estate agent! So what?
The first cousin of a friend of the lady who does your hair or your uncle's boss's daughter of his golf buddy or your kid's teacher's husband is not someone to hire just because of those relationships. Your home, or the home you're planning on buying, might be the biggest asset you have, and the person you hire to entrust that asset to should be interviewed and carefully selected.
It was the house they raised their kids in, and they still loved the place, but now the kids are all grown and off to College. How many people would hand over $200,000 to a co-worker's cousin or a friend of a friend to handle for up to a year? Would you? But how many people have you heard complain that they're unhappy with their real estate agent, but they can't change because it's their friend or a family member or their boss's family member?
Don't hand your home over to someone just because you "know" them. Do your homework. Interview them. Get references.
Here are some questions you should ask them:
1. What's their average time to sell a house?
2. Do they produce virtual brochures? Are they well done?
3. Do they have their own website? Is it appealing and easy to find on the Internet?
4. What's their marketing strategy?
5. How often do they hold open houses?
6. How often do they replenish the info box outside the home?
7. How well did they represent former clients who bought homes through them?
And then there's the reality of today's market. Is the agent you're considering web-savvy and high-tech enough for marketing in this time of rapidly changing technology? Can they get you that out-of-town buyer? Can they attract enough traffic via the web to sell your home quickly?
Here are examples of individual real estate agent's websites:
• http://www.homesnorthpittsburgh.com
• http://www.pittsburghcondo.net
• http://homesalespittsburgh.com
Your home is probably your biggest investment. Make sure you have a true professional marketing it. Good Luck!
I believe that to give truly great customer service one must "Make a customer, not a sale!"
Katherine Barchetti
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kay_Barchetti http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Pick-a-Residential-Real-Estate-Agent&id=952952
Many people spend less time picking a real estate agent than they spend deciding where to eat lunch. Real estate agents are like belly buttons: Everybody has one! Everybody knows or works with or is related to, plays tennis or softball with, goes to the movies, lives with, even sleeps with, a real estate agent! So what?
The first cousin of a friend of the lady who does your hair or your uncle's boss's daughter of his golf buddy or your kid's teacher's husband is not someone to hire just because of those relationships. Your home, or the home you're planning on buying, might be the biggest asset you have, and the person you hire to entrust that asset to should be interviewed and carefully selected.
It was the house they raised their kids in, and they still loved the place, but now the kids are all grown and off to College. How many people would hand over $200,000 to a co-worker's cousin or a friend of a friend to handle for up to a year? Would you? But how many people have you heard complain that they're unhappy with their real estate agent, but they can't change because it's their friend or a family member or their boss's family member?
Don't hand your home over to someone just because you "know" them. Do your homework. Interview them. Get references.
Here are some questions you should ask them:
1. What's their average time to sell a house?
2. Do they produce virtual brochures? Are they well done?
3. Do they have their own website? Is it appealing and easy to find on the Internet?
4. What's their marketing strategy?
5. How often do they hold open houses?
6. How often do they replenish the info box outside the home?
7. How well did they represent former clients who bought homes through them?
And then there's the reality of today's market. Is the agent you're considering web-savvy and high-tech enough for marketing in this time of rapidly changing technology? Can they get you that out-of-town buyer? Can they attract enough traffic via the web to sell your home quickly?
Here are examples of individual real estate agent's websites:
• http://www.homesnorthpittsburgh.com
• http://www.pittsburghcondo.net
• http://homesalespittsburgh.com
Your home is probably your biggest investment. Make sure you have a true professional marketing it. Good Luck!
I believe that to give truly great customer service one must "Make a customer, not a sale!"
Katherine Barchetti
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kay_Barchetti http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Pick-a-Residential-Real-Estate-Agent&id=952952
Labels: real estate agents
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