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| Choosing
The Right Real Estate Agent |
If you're considering buying a home, you may have a number
of things on your mind such as finding a nice home within
your budget, locating a house in a good area for schools,
deciding on
the right floor plan, staying within a certain distance of
work, etc. While all of these things are important, the single
most critical
decision
you
have
to
make when home
shopping is which Realtor® you will work with. It's true,
you could do it alone, but without proper representation,
you'll
be at a distinct disadvantage, not only in negotiating a
deal, but also in finding the right house.
For your sake and the sake of your family, it's best if you
work with an experienced
Austin area Realtor®. A good real estate agent can
help you locate properties for sale in the areas you want
to live
and may
even be able
to recommend some areas you haven’t considered yet.
He or she can also provide valuable insight during the initial
looking stage. Your agent is
also likely to notice things that you don't and therefore
could end up
saving
you
a great
deal
of money. In addition, since chances are the seller will
be represented by an agent, you'll want an agent there to
look out for your best interests.
Once you make the decision to retain an agent, the next decision
you'll have to make is which agent to choose. This is not
as easy as it might appear. You'll want to do more than just
flip through a phone book to find a name. You'll need to
do some homework to make sure you select an agent who's right
for you.
Find out how long the agent has been in the business. A more
experienced agent is likely to give you better service and
greater attention to detail. Also, ask how much of the agent's
work involves representing buyers. This will give you a clue
about whether the agent is likely to ask the right questions
throughout the buying process.
Ask for references of buyers the agent has represented
in the last 6 months. If the agent is readily willing to
give
you this information, it shows his or her confidence and
provides some indication of trustworthiness. Once you have
contact information in hand, be sure to follow up by making
calls or sending an email. You can find out whether the agent
was responsive, helpful, and knowledgeable. And who would
know better than the clients he or she has represented?
In addition, ask the agent about credentials. Has the agent
had specific training related to the unique needs
of
buyers?
Does he or she hold special accreditation? Any agent who
is not willing to share this information with you is probably
not worth dealing with.
Another important question is whether the agent has a list
of lenders, home inspectors, and contractors that he or she
likes to work with. It will certainly save you time, and
probably money, if you can rely on your agent to supply this
information rather than trying to hunt it down yourself.
The answer to this question will also give you an idea as
to whether the agent is knowledgeable about the community.
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