Home buying involves a lot decision making.  Where do you want to live?  What’s your budget?  How many bathrooms do you need?  Some of the answers to those might alter as you get deeper into your search. 

But there’s one question that needs to be answered sooner rather than later: who’s going to be your real estate agent? 

Your realtor will be your means for home searching, touring, negotiating, and more.  They will be your house hunting partner, assisting you in navigation the market.  That’s why it’s so important to choose the right one. 

Do I Need a Real Estate Agent? 

Technically speaking, as long as it’s your property that’s being bought or sold, you don’t legally need a realtor.  But the world of home buying is a very complex process with laws, regulations, paperwork, inspections, and many other things involved. 

Simply put, most would quickly find themselves out of their depth, not to mention they’d be running the risk making some big mistakes along the way.  Think of it like representing yourself in court rather than choosing to have a lawyer.  You have the right to do that, but it’s probably not going to work out in your best interest. 

Now that that’s settle, let’s take a look at what you need in your real estate agent. 

Experience in What You’re Looking For (and Where You’re Looking) 

The less experience you have with home buying and selling, the more you’ll need to lean on your realtor’s knowledge.  That’s why it’s wise to choose someone who has good experience in the type of home you’re looking for and the area where you want to live.  If you’re looking into MLS San Diego, make sure they know the real estate landscape in San Diego.   

It doesn’t hurt to find out what some of their past sales were. 

How They Communicate 

Different people communicate differently.  We all have our preferences.  You might prefer phone calls vs emails.  On the other hand, maybe you’re a text message-type communicator.  Get a sense for how your potential agent communicates, including frequency and how quickly they respond. 

A good realtor will respond in a timely, effective manner, and they’ll work to adapt to your preferred method of communication. 

Make Sure They Can Work Within Your Budget 

If an agent is used to working above your budget, they might try to oversell you.  They could also lack the skills to find the best home for the price you can afford.  Alternatively, if an agent works primarily with smaller homes than what you’re wanting, they could end up out of their depth in a richer market.  While a good realtor is flexible in what they can work with, many still have a certain price range they operate best in. 

They’re Honest with You 

We’ve saved the most important for last.  A must-have quality for your real estate agent is that they’re honest with you, even when it’s something you might not want to hear.  You need to be able to know that your agent is giving you the truth, whether it’s telling you a house is too expensive or needs too much work or appears to be a better deal than is.  The value of honesty is priceless. 

Find Your Agent Today 

If you’re looking for an agent to help with buying, selling, or property management in the San Diego area, call us today at 619-665-5360, and discover why we have the real estate team you’ve been looking for.

Posted by Jason Coriano on
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