For many people, the idea of dealing with real estate agents can be a stressful thought. We’ve all heard horror stories and yet there are some great agents out there who are professional, ethical and passionate about what they do. Like in any industry, there are some great players and some not so great ones. So how can you make sure you choose one of the great ones? Here are the 5 best tips for choosing your great Realtor Vancouver professional.
5 Best Tips for Choosing Your Realtor Vancouver professional
Naturally, everyone has different expectations about their real estate agent. This also usually comes with a range of views about what ‘being the best’ actually means. However, there are some key themes, listed below, that can help you get started.
- Do your research and get recommendations
- Interview different Realtor Vancouver professionals
- Ask about their license and ongoing professional development
- Attend open houses
- Listen to your instincts
Research and Recommendations
- Review and customer feedback
- Access to networking and brokerage support
The great thing about today’s world is that we’re not short on information. From social media to blogs and review articles, you can pretty much find anything you want about any Realtor Vancouver professional. As you’d expect, every country is different when it comes to real estate so stick to information relevant to your local area.
Essentially though, you’re looking for what type of properties Realtor Vancouver professionals deal with. In addition, you’ll want to know how many years of experience they have as well as what brokerage they are tied to. Every great agent has a strong brokerage firm backing them with a great network and resources to cover all your needs. Finally, make sure you ask for customer feedback to give you a better idea of how they work in reality.
Interviews
- Review their knowledge and expertise
- Compare strategy and mindset
Once you’re done with your research and perhaps narrow it down to 3 or 5 then you can start interviewing them. The level of formality you use during this phase is entirely up to you. All good Realtor Vancouver professionals know that they are being interviewed from the first moment you connect with them.
It’s important that you understand their expertise, as some might be better at selling than buying. Others, again, are more adept at property management, for example. Either way, you should ask them for their track record as well as expected timings and how they might approach your particular project. Their language and attitude will tell you a lot about what to expect throughout the process should you choose to work with them.
Licenses and Ongoing Development
- Real Estate Versus Realtor Certificate
- Membership of institutions and ongoing training
Agents take different exams depending on whether they are real estate agents, realtors or brokers. Some might work more independently with some specialists and others might manage teams and real estate offices. Their day-to-day professionalism and execution don’t necessarily change much. It’s worth knowing the difference though in case that helps you narrow down where their sweet spot lies.
Passion is another important aspect of someone’s success. How they rate their career and industry can also give you many clues as to how they might approach your project. Some people love talking about what training they’re doing and how much they’re learning. On the other hand, others might come across as knowing it all. This now becomes a personal choice though in terms of what you believe is important for you.
Attend Open Houses
- Watch them in action
- Listen to how they present things
The best way to see someone’s true style and approach is to watch them in action. There’s no better way to do that than to attend open houses. Some Realtor Vancouver professionals might have a soft and open approach whereas others might have a more obviously confident approach. Again, this now comes down to personal preference and what kind of style you can trust to negotiate on your behalf. Listen to the language they use to give you an idea of how they’ll do that.
Listen to your Instinct
- Do your values match?
- Can you imagine working with them day in, day out?
At the end of the day, you have to be happy with your choice of Realtor Vancouver professional. There’s no point having the best in the field if you don’t want to be in the same room as them. Any minor frustrations at this point in the process will only multiply and escalate. You’ll know by how they speak and hold themselves if you feel you can build real rapport based on common values. Moreover, you’ll know if you can cope with them being there to guide you through the stressful moments when things go wrong.
Final Recommendations for Choosing a Realtor Vancouver professional
Like every decision we make in life, the more we do our research then the better equipped we are. However, we also need to remember to listen to our instincts when dealing with people. You need to make sure that you’re happy with the Realtor Vancouver professional you’ve chosen. It’s important that you build a relationship built on trust and mutual respect. This is almost more important than experience, although with so many professionals to choose from, you’re in with a good chance of finding your perfect partner.