The Right Real Estate Saleperson Is There For You When You Look before You Leap

Buying or selling a home should be an awesome experience for anyone. The energy level heightens for the hunt and the adrenaline rush comes with the deal. The Realtor Market is hyper populated with Real Estate salespeople and the barriers to entry to be a Real Estate Sales person are low (but the barriers to sustained performance are high). Here’s a look at a few considerations on finding the perfect fit to ensure your property sells at top dollar, or that you buy for the best price/value in the market.

1. You are “Hiring” a Service Provider.

Buying or Selling a Home may be one of the most important financial decisions we make and we ought to understand we are “hiring” someone to help support the process. Even when buying a home (where the compensation to the Real Estate Salesperson is often paid by the Seller of the property), you are still “hiring” that Salesperson and engaging them to represent your best interests for which they shall be compensated. You are in effect “hiring” a Real Estate Salesperson even if they/you suggest it’s a favour. It’s not a favour, it’s a legal binding contractual decision.

 2. Choose The Person, Not The Experience

While experience is good, it’s not everything. We may get caught up in the “name” that comes with experience. If it’s the name, make sure you are getting the name because of what you need/want. Do you want a personal connection because we may not be accessing the personal connection that name brings. Does the name deliver performance measures that are important to you? Choose someone good at delivering what’s good for you.

3. Remember You don’t have to “hire” just one!

Many Real Estate Salespeople may not want to “share” the compensation that comes with representing your interests in any one real estate transaction, but it can be done and it can be to your benefit. You may have a relative/friend that you trust and want to involve for guidance/mentoring/support but for other reasons may not be practical. There is nothing stopping you from requesting/suggesting if an arrangement can be made to accommodate your needs/wants. It can be arranged for both buying and selling. But you need to be proactive not reactive. After the fact is too late. 

4. Seek Referrals/References From Others

Hey, is this going to be a good fit for you? You are looking for someone that has “Raving Fans”. There's no bigger compliment to an agent than a referral from a past client. Ask others who they would recommend, why they would recommend and then if the “why’s” match your needs, then reach out to who they recommend and see if the glove fits! If nothing else, they will tell you who they would not recommend! The number of past clients who do not use their previous Real Estate Salesperson is amazingly high!

5. Make Sure They Offer Cutting Edge Support

Do they have the Systems in place and technological tools to manage your best interests? If Real Estate salespeople won’t invest in their systems and in their technology, they are disadvantaged in the systems and technology that support your best interests. How quick and how exhaustive can they be with market/demograhpic data that supports your decision making? How extensive, what’s the implementation and activation, depth and breadth of their Marketing activity. A Real Estate salesperson that has the systems and technology in place to make you a VIP Client hits a home run.

6. Find An Agent that can walk and talk

We just discussed systems and technology but that is not the end all and be all. Pay close attention to the agent or broker and how he/she listens and asks YOU questions. Because this is not just a statement of how they would interact with you but a statement on how they will interact on your behalf. They have to work towards getting the deal done for you and it takes a human being to understand and work to achieve your specific goals. Don’t hire someone you think is not prepared nor capable of interacting with other Real Estate salespeople in a way that reflects your best interests.

7. Past Behaviour predicts Future Behaviour

Look at the Real Estate Salespersons work. The easiest and most valuable way is to review how they're marketing with others…and this is whether they are marketing for you as a Seller or marketing for you as a Buyer (and yes, Real Estate Salespeople should be marketing for you as a Buyer!). Look at their marketing materials, websites, social media presence, brochures and signage. If they are not extensive and exhaustive in how they have marketed for others, it’s not likely they will be extensive and exhaustive in how they market for you.

8. Check If They Mitigate Risk

Many Real Estate Salespeople will make tons of promises. But how many will put it in writing? The difference is one is stated and maybe forgotten or disputed while the other is documented. If you can’t get some guarantees from your Real Estate Saleperson, you may be taking most of the relational risk.

9. Look For Strong Core Values

If it’s all about the Real Estate Saleperson…it always will be. You won’t change that and if that is what you want…fine. But whether it's business or pleasure, finding a good person all comes down to core values. Core values are important because you want to work with someone that plays by the same rules you do. Perhaps giving back to the community is an important value to you. If so, find a Real Estate salesperson that gives