In dealing with thousands of real estate buyers and sellers online and in person it has been fascinating and yes disturbing to see how passive consumers are in selecting which realtor to work with. I?m Jay, the owner of JustNewListings.com Realty Inc. At least 15-30 people register each day at my website so my fingers are on the pulse of consumer behavior as far as Great Falls Virginia real estate is concerned. To a large degree buyers bounce around like pinballs from agent to agent viewing home randomly and when they find a home they like they just work with that agent of whom they know nothing about as far as how effective that agent is at negotiating, etc.
Ironically, the buyers usually know next to nothing about the real estate consultant. They don?t know if that agent wins usually in competing against multiple offers, nor do they know if that agent puts up commission money to close deals if things are close, etc. Be a smart consumer. Research and pick an agent with some thought?not by accidental coincidence of which agent happened to show you the home you want to buy. Magazines and websites talk about picking an agent all the time. Usually the articles do not touch the heavy and even uncomfortable issues you need to consider.
So I?m going to give you a list of questions or issues to consider when picking agent to work with. Let?s start with an obvious one, ?How many years have you been doing real estate?? It is a serious issue, but one consumers usually never ask. Are buyers and sellers too shy to pry into the credentials of the realtor up front? To be really good at real estate you need to have several years under your belt to say the least?preferably at least 5-10+ years. As a general rule if you are not working with an agent who is in the top 1% of agents in terms of sales volume or # of transactions then there are some issues you have to deal with.
One reason to only work with very accomplished agents in terms of the number of transactions they have done is that real estate comes with and endless supply of new and bizarre circumstances that threaten the clients? interests. Very often the issues that endanger the real estate transaction from being completed can be prevented in the first place with defensive real estate measures and yes instincts in negotiating certains situations. And often the difference in how something is handled is subtle but consequential. The most effective agents prevent a lot of drama behind the scenes and their buyer or seller never even knows about it.
An example of where experience matters is negotiating contracts. How well does the agent know the real estate contract and the nuances of the key paragraphs? Do they know how to stretch out the contingencies by using business days instead of ?regular? days? How are they protecting you from losing your earnest money deposit if you wish to void the contract? Is the agent adding addendums to protect your interests? Does the agent realize how much they can do in terms of contractual language and addendums without offending the seller that gives you leverage in the negotiating?
It is the most experienced agent that are going to save you much grief and drama and missed opportunities in real estate transactions?opportunities that you may not be lucky enough to get again. The top agents will protect you and control the transaction and have systems in play to make them more effective. Another benefit of working with the best agents is their network of top notch contractors?consider it a club of which the agent is part?that are the most accomplished in their fields and unbelievably dependable. Experience matters. Take advantage of it.
When it is time to search for real estate in McLean Virginia work with a team that is committed to protecting you financially. Take advantage of using technology to make your search for Clarendon townhouses as efficient as possible. Read the blog for a ton of articles written from a consumer advocate perspective for home buyers.
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