Choosing your Real Estate Agent�with the Help of my Inner Child!



 


I saw a GREAT article the other day that spurred me to compose this particular blog.  It was a good read and I have snipped some of the information from it and have regurgitated it in my own words below.  While I consider myself a Master Wordsmith…I have to give credit where credit is due!  The inspiration for this little blog came from the following web page.  Feel free to visit it.

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/5-questions-ask-choosing-real-130037276.html

“Can you refer a Good Real Estate Agent to me?”

…this is a question I get asked on a consistent basis.

Why do people ask me this question?

Well, it’s because they TRUST my judgement. I’ve been doing this for a long time now – I’ve seen a lot.

I’m not going to get in to bashing Real Estate Agents…I’m sure some of you just had a partial stroke because if you know me…then you know my thoughts on most Real Estate Agents.

I kid…geez – don’t get your shorts in a knot! It’s what I do…I have fun.

While some people think Real Estate Agents are the most Dishonest, Greedy, Self Absorbed, Under-educated, Pretentious people on the planet…there are others who don’t think that…those people think Insurance Agents are the most Dishonest, Greedy, Self Absorbed, Under-educated, Pretentious people on the planet.  But neither of these people think that about Mortgage Brokers…hahaha – okay…maybe a few of them do…but their opinion doesn’t matter anyway.

I’m joking.  Don’t freak out!  I don’t want a bunch of emails tomorrow morning telling me that I am insensitive…I already know that I’m insensitive…just kidding.  Or am I?

 

For those people that harbour a negative perception about Real Estate Agents – it’s likely due to a bad experience they either had or someone close to them had.  Word travels fast…and a story about a bad Real Estate Agent will circulate faster than Herpes at a Water Fountain!  Oh yeah…I said it.  You laughed too!

The truth is – there are more “honest to goodness” Real Estate Agents out there than you may think, unfortunately the stigma of the “bad” Real Estate Agents overshadows them and they don’t necessarily get a fair shake.

So what constitutes a Good Real Estate Agent?

 

Good question! The answer is quite subjective though…sorry all you analytical types…there is no formula available. BUT…I do have some GREAT questions you can ask your prospective Agent that should help you in your search!

As I mentioned earlier – the inspiration for this little blog came from an entirely different website.  I have read it, of course, and I have since honed it a bit and came up with my Top 3 Questions (Down from their 5) to ask before choosing a Real Estate Agent…enjoy!

1. How long have you been in the industry?

This seems like a no-brainer…but a lot of people don’t ask it.  More importantly, time is not the only factor to consider here…you could get someone who has been licensed for years and years…but maybe they were only part timers…maybe they only dealt with a few clients per year.  So instead of just asking how long they have been in the industry – ask them about the number of clients they have helped in that time and if they are Full Time or Part Time Real Estate Agents.  If they are Full Time…feel good about this person.  If they are Part Time…maybe consider just how much you want to entrust the purchase of your HOME in the hands of someone that can’t make a “go of it” as a career.

If they are working at Home Depot Full Time and doing Real Estate on the side…then I would definitely urge you to seek out a better option…unless of course it’s a friend of the family and you just couldn’t bare to see them in the future if you chose to go elsewhere – then…you’re kinda between a rock and a hard place.  Good Luck With That!

2.  What do you know about the geography of this community and the houses that occupy it?

Right?  That’s a solid question don’t you think?  Wouldn’t it be GREAT if your real estate agent told you about the “Ancient Indian Burial Ground” your new home was built on?  What about the fact there is a Methadone Clinic moving in next door in the next year or so?  Or what about the “Bad Concrete Mixes” from Nineteen-diggity-four that a lot of foundations and basements were built with?   “Nineteen-diggity-four”, that there is an “Abe Simpson” quote.  If you don’t know who Abe Simpson is…then you have not lived. 

Seriously though, if you have found a Real Estate Agent that has an intimate knowledge of the community and knows the history of certain developments and knows about any “negative” issues that could deter you from buying a home somewhere you would be unhappy…then Good for you!  That agent there just may be a keeper!

3.  How, and how often, will you, or your Real Estate Team, communicate with me? 

Will you CALL me?  EMAIL me? TEXT me?  FACEBOOK me? TWEET me? VISIT me?  GOOGLE me (it still sounds dirty to me – my inner child is a 13 year old boy)?  I’ll google you if you google me…hahaha!!

All acceptable questions.  Among all things – I believe Communication is Paramount.  Not just the fact they connect with you – but more importantly the efficacy (big word here…better look it up) of the communication.  Let’s face it – most of us don’t want to be pestered with a phone call every time a house comes on the market the Real Estate Agent “thinks” may be a good fit.  We have other things happening in our lives and sometimes an interruption by way of a phone call could be a bit intrusive.

Think about it…it’s a Sunday morning, you’re sitting in Church, your kids are bugging each other, you’re wondering how soon you can leave to catch the pre-game show, the Reverend is preaching about the Virtues of Love…and then out of nowhere, all the way from 1968 – Iron Butterfly erupts with “In A Gadda Davita” blaring from your Cell Phone…it’s your Real Estate Agent…he/she thinks they found “the perfect house.“

There are 2 things to consider here.  First, if you have “In A Gadda Davida” as your Ring Tone…then you are AWESOME!  Keep on Being Awesome!  Secondly…maybe that phone call could have been better suited as a Text…or even an email.

Okay…there is a third thing here too…maybe you could have been less awesome and you could have just had your phone on “vibrate”…nah – YOU ROCK IT!  YOU NEVER SILENCE THAT PHONE!  NEVER!

And while I’m reflecting on this well constructed blog…these questions may even bridge over to your Mortgage Broker!!  Oh yeah…at least the first 2!  Your broker really shouldn’t be telling you about houses you should buy…that’s just weird.

I hope you enjoyed the post!

Keep on Being Awesome!

And now that the song is in your head…or perhaps curiosity has taken hold…may I present, Iron Butterfly! Courtesy of Youtube!

 

Jason@FOCUS