Matthew Hick asked:


If you are in the market to sell your home, it is important to choose a real estate agent who will do his or her best job and provide the most excellent services to you. After all, you are looking for quality, honesty, timeliness, and dedication. So how do you go weeding out the good real estate agents from the bad real estate agents? There are a few ways that you can do this.

To start with, you will want to know how long the real estate agent has been in practice, and if their licensure is kept up to date. Several years of practice under their belt has given them a world of experience to make a good sale. Also, check what hours they work. If they don’t work nights or weekends, then this schedule will fail to accommodate most working people in the mindset to buy. A part-time realtor may not have the time to adequately market your property.

In the line of work experience, find out how many properties they have sold in the last year, and the average sale price of them. Ask them what percent of their listings have sold, and if they can provide you with references from homeowners, whose houses have sold, and those who haven’t. It is important to find an agent who is willing to disclose facts. If they are a good agent, they won’t have anything to hide. Find out how many current listings they have. The fewer the better for you, since an overloaded real estate agent won’t have the time to devote to your sale. If they have a full load already, this is the time to say goodbye.

Since advertising is key to selling your house, find out if they will commit to a certain amount of money spent each month to this area. An unadvertised house will be too unnoticeable to sell. Request a thirty or sixty-day contract agreement time. This will provide the realtor time to sell, but gives you an opportunity to move on if you are unhappy with them. If they refuse, by all means question why. You really don’t want to be locked into an agreement for years, only to find out the real estate agent is not a good one. Also find out if the property will be on the Multi Listing Service, and what their policies on open houses are. These are all key items in getting your house in the viewing area of potential buyers.

Question the real estate agent as to how long the property will take to sell at suggested price. Your house may be worth the amount advertised, but quite possibly the area will not get you that price. You need honesty in this matter. Most importantly, do not overprice your house. You may not get any potential buyers attention with this maneuver.

The real estate agent will be your home’s best opportunity to be sold. It is important to ask questions, and pay attention to detail, when making this selection. You need someone who is able to provide care, time and effort in selling your house. Remember, you are entrusting this individual to handle probably one of the biggest financial transactions of your life. Making the right choice could be the difference between that “SOLD” sign going up or not.



Holly

Roberto Luongo asked:


While looking for a profitable real estate transaction, it is imperative to look for a qualified and experienced real estate agent. A real estate agent can help you to secure the most profitable deal and you can save a great amount of money as well. But, how will you find a real estate agent? In this article, we’ll discuss factors that can help you to find the real estate agent.

Use Referrals:

Fro getting the best deal, you can use referrals given by your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. In fact, through this medium, you can get services from people who have already satisfied the needs of your acquaintances and family members. Hence, ask people and enquire about their experiences and then, make your decision.

Search through Online Agent Listings:

Many websites offer real estate agents’ listing. The list comprises of real estate agents who have paid to be listed in the directory. You can search the list and gather full information about a realtor who can meet your requirements. Check their years of experience and read customer testimonials to choose the best help. For getting better services, you can visit realtors’ offices and ask for more details on their services.

Attend Open Houses:

Visiting open houses is the one of the easiest ways to be in touch with real estate agents. Go there, meet new people and get their business cards. Through inter-personal meeting, you will get to know about the behavior of a particular person well. Think if you are comfortable working with the person or not. Choose a person whom you think can provide your service as per your expectations.

Advertising:

Nowadays, realtors advertize their services through newspapers, internet, magazines and other sources. Hence, if you are want to hire a realtor, try searching the one in the local newspaper or go online.

Finding the right real estate agent is not a tough job if you know exact places to satisfy your curiosity.



Vanessa

set apart asked:


have gotten plastic surgery?

I have many friends in the business of real estate and each one of them have had a nip tuck or other.

Are you not allowed to age if you’re in the real estate business?…
Rita: Some of my friends are males who have also had work done… this is a sad industry if a good real estate agent has to look young. I would rather an experienced older aged person.

I am in California if that makes any difference.

Sandra

Jim Johnson asked:


Choosing a good real estate agent in Bend Oregon can be a sticky proposition. There are currently a little over two thousand members of the Central Oregon Multiple Listing service. Out of these two thousand members there are approximately 1,500 active real estate agents. The rest are part time agents, real estate appraisers, lenders or others associated with the real estate business.

Oregon law recently changed however and agents are now called Brokers and Principle Brokers. Brokers are men and women who sell real estate for a Principle Broker who is responsible for their activities. The Principle Broker can also sell and list properties. For the purposes of this article we will call Brokers and Principal Brokers who actively sell and list homes “Agents.”

When searching for an agent to assist you in buying or selling a home it is a good idea to choose one that is a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS). There are over one million Realtors in business today. So if you want to find that one-in-a-million Realtor start with the over 37,000 that hold the Certified Residential Specialist Designation. CRS is the symbol of excellence in residential real estate.

You should also make sure your agent is a Realtor. Not all agents are Realtors. A Realtor is pledged to adhere to a strict code of ethics. Whether you are buying or selling a home, you can count on your Realtor to be honest with all parties in the transaction, not just you, as his or here client, but also with the other real estate practitioner and his or her clients.

For example, if Realtors represent a buyer with a spotty credit history, they can’t be dishonest with seller about this fact. At the same time, Realtors can help their buyer clients collect and assemble information, such as credit reports and audited tax returns, to demonstrate that the buyer has addressed the problem and improved their situation.

He or she will put your interests ahead of his or her interest at all times. He understand the needs of his or her client, thoroughly researches available inventory and shares all relevant information with the buyer so that he or she can make an informed decision. This service is provided regardless of the compensation available.

She or He will disclose all pertinent facts regarding the property and the transaction to both buyer and seller. If a Realtor believes information provided by a seller is questionable, the Realtor is obligated to investigate. Realtors should recommend that buyers consult their own experts, such as home inspectors, to address concerns.

For example, if a home seller asks his or her Realtor to conceal the fact that the roof leaks, the Realtor cannot comply. If the seller insists, the Realtor should end the business relationship with that seller.

He or she will be truthful in all communications with the public. When Realtors distribute newsletters, create Web sites, or place advertisements, they must be careful not to represent other real estate professionals’ work product as their own. If recently sold or listed properties in the community are publicized, it must be clear whether the Realtor was actually involved in the transaction or whether that data came from the local multiple listing service or other source. This ensures that the public understands the Realtor’s experience and they can make an informed decision when choosing real estate representation.

All Certified Residential Specialists are Realtors. So if you are looking for an agent in Bend Oregon or any place in the United States for that matter, you can search the internet with any browser for Certified Residential Specialist. Go to “Find a CRS” and fill in the city and state where you want to buy a home and need an agent.

You will then have a list with pictures, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of some of the best agents available. At this point it is good to contact the agent and ask him or here how long he or she has lived in the area you are going to be buying a home. You will be better served if you choose someone that has lived in the area for more than twenty years.

There are many factors to consider when choosing the agent you want to work with. Take your time and be sure the broker you choose is some you like and trust.

It is a buyer’s market in Bend Oregon today. It is a good time to buy a home. If you follow the steps outlined in this article you should find an ethical, experienced profession to help you find you new home and negotiate a good price.



Alfred

Virginia Wherland asked:


The sale of a home is a very important transaction. It concerns several hundred thousand dollars worth of equity in most cases as well as being the haven for your family. It just makes sense to entrust this process to a professional. A real estate agent has a number of advantages at their disposal to make the sale of homes easier, faster and more profitable for the owners. Look at things this way: when you have a toothache, do you fix it yourself with a cordless drill? Of course not, you go see the dentist and have the tooth fixed; you see the professional. Why would you take a different route with an asset as valuable as your home?

When selling your home yourself, there are a number of additional costs that are incurred during the sale process. These costs are typically a part of the fees that an agent charges to sell the home. Many people make the mistake of thinking that they can save a huge amount of money by selling themselves when in reality the money they “save” actually goes to pay for services that are normally included in using a real estate agent. Additionally, selling a home is a time consuming process. There is a huge amount of paperwork that is associated with a home sale and much time spent in the actual transfer and the contracts that are part and parcel of the sale. As well, you have a life outside the sale of your home, work, and family takes up a lot of time. Are you able to drop everything at a minute’s notice to show your home?

There is also the issue of your emotional ties to the home. No matter how much you try to remove yourself from these ties, they still exist. This makes you just a touch biased when it comes to the home. It can be difficult watching a fussy buyer pick apart their “perceived” drawbacks and things they may not like about the home. At a time like this it is hard not to be emotional, especially when there is so much riding on the sale. Give your home the chance it deserves, use a real estate agent when it comes time to sell.



Alexander

Gary Ward asked:


As a home buyer you should put as much thought into choosing your real estate agent as choosing your home. It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying a new home especially if you are not aware of how the game is played.

Resourceful consumers know that they should interview agents to see how they will perform for them and to switch agents if they are disappointed in an agents performance. How your needs will be met should be based on the variety of services the agent offers, the different skill levels and training he or she has, and the company policies of the firm they work for.

You may end up with someone who hasn’t had much experience, if you met the agent at an Open House or called the Listing Agent about a particular house. It is not uncommon for new agents or part-timers to conduct Open Houses and do ‘up-time’ answering the phones at the real estate offices, not that an experienced agent does not do these things from time to time, but it is not enough to just take up with the first agent you meet without first seeing if they are knowledgeable of the area, the laws, and your interest. If they are the listing agent, unless specifically disclosed otherwise, they represent the seller in any transaction for the sale of a home. It is that Agent’s fiduciary duty to protect the seller’s position at all times. No matter what they tell you their loyalty will lie with their selling clients. Listing Agents are, not focusing on buyers’ needs, you may end up with an agent who will do a better job selling your house when the time comes rather than serving your needs and wants now as a home buyer. A buyer’s agent is a better choice.

If you have found a particular house but want a different agent you may have to deal with something called ‘procuring cause’ which offers guidelines regarding who should get credit for the sale and consequently, payment. That is why we say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure: Choose your real estate agent before you choose your house. It’s not good to see a home with one broker and then bring another broker to the same house for the second showing a month later. Such practices could end up in a long bitter process between agents, slowing down your closing process and perhaps even chancing the lost of your dream home to another buyer.

Treat your agent with the same respect you expect from them, tell them up front if you have worked with another agent in the area, what homes they have shown you and why you choose to seek out a different agent. A good buyer’s agent armed with your expectations will transcend into a great buying experience for you and your family and what a difference that will make in the enjoyment of your new mountain home!



Terri

busted.smile asked:


Housing Prices lower due to Inflation, yes.
But how do Housing Prices effect the Real Estate Agent?
I honestly can’t find the answer anywhere; so can anyone help?

Jorge

miles2381 asked:


I just bought a house and they were in the progress of building apartments a couple blocks up the street, and now the are finished and it will be low income housing. The value of our house is more than liking going to fall, so is it possible that the real estate agent knew and did not tells us. What is the odds of them knowing?

Jack

Fran T asked:


We’ve been working with a real estate agent and every time I bring up exploring foreclosed properties in the area, she “stonewalls” us and says there aren;t opportunities (which I know is bs).

Does she not get a good commission on foreclosed properties? I’ve told her we have plenty of time to wait out a foreclosure if the potential deal is worth it.

Jerome

Anna asked:


So I’m looking for an apartment, and have noo time to dig through craigslist. If I call a real estate agent and see what apartments they have listed and have them keep me in mind as a potential tenant. Do I have to pay them for this or is that all on the person who’s putting their apartment up for rent?

Dennis