So you have finally decided to buy a new home. Many congratulations, first of all! Now that you have planned to buy a new house, you must search for a realtor. A Realtor is a professional who has vast knowledge about the real estate industry and can help you buy an ideal home. Because of being occupied in a busy schedule, you will not find the home of your dreams. But a realtor can help you in finding the house you will feel proud of.
Now, the question is, with so many realtors claiming themselves as the best, how to find the right realtor. To help you with finding the right professional, I have jotted some helpful tips below.
- Get referrals from your network – Start your search for the realtor by asking your friends and family members. See if they can recommend a realtor with whom they had a good experience. The benefit of taking suggestions from your network is that you may get an ideal realtor you are looking for firsthand, and your considerable amount of time will be saved.
- Search online – If you don’t get any reliable suggestions from your circle, use the internet. Search for the realtors in your area. Check their services on their respective websites and make a list of realtors who meet your needs.
- Check reviews – After shortlisting the realtors, check their reviews. Reading the reviews of their past clients, you will know what opinion they hold about the realtor. See if they recommend his services or not. You may not find a realtor with all the positive reviews. Anyhow, make sure to hire a real estate professional with maximum positive reviews.
- Check license – License is among the most important things that you should not skip checking when hiring any professional. A licensed professional is allowed by the higher authorities. So, you can easily rely on such a licensed realtor.
- Request references – Ask the realtor to provide you with the list of references. A reputable realtor will always have a list of referrals maintained and have good relations with all past clients. He will never hesitate to provide a list of references. However, if any realtor makes excuses and does not provide the list, then better look for some other realtor.
After getting the list of references, call the previous clients and ask them about their experience. Ask if they will hire the realtor in the future if required or not.
- Check the availability – In today’s busy world, it’s hard to coordinate with a crazy schedule. So, make sure to hire a realtor who is flexible and readily agrees to meet you as per your schedule and availability. However, be considerate towards their time, as they too have a personal life. Work as a team and fix meetings at the time you both are comfortable.