7 Signs of a Good Real Estate Agent

In my experience of finding a dream-first home so far, I have determined that these are some signs of a good real estate agent.

Finding the perfect property is never an easy task. I have worked in and out with my realtor the last few weeks in finding a suitable investment. I would just like to share some of the qualifications and/or characteristics that I feel is important for an agent to have.

Experience

It is always good when your realtor knows what they are doing and is very knowledgeable about the market. Unfortunately, everyone has to start off as anew and if they don’t have any clients, how are they going to get the experience right?

Real estate agents who have been around for a bit will know exactly whether the property you are interested in is a good or poor investment.

In my search, I have never heard a single negative comment about a property from my realtor. This leads me to question whether my agent is trying to push a sale or simply hasn’t been around long enough to know the details.

Connections

Another sign of a good real estate agent is that he/she will have good connections in the industry.

Perhaps your agent can refer you to a good mortgage broker, lawyer or even another agent that can better accommodate your situation.

I couldn’t say how convenient it was that my agent had a family member that worked at a bank that could hook me up with an excellent mortgage rate.

Resourcefulness

Something that I would like to see in a real estate agent is the ability to be resourceful and make things happen.

The ability to pull strings, find hidden properties not listed on MLS and to leverage networks can be a useful tool under the belt. You can never know when these skills can come in handy for the client.

Honesty

Like I mentioned earlier, my realtor never has anything negative to say about a property. His go to response is “it’s just preference”.

To be honest, all I want are the stats as that speaks for itself. He always manages to side track that and change the subject. This gives me the perception that he is trying to pressure me just to make his commission. That is a big no-no in my books!

Excellent Communication

If a agent is too pushy or aggressive, that may put some people off. At the same time, if a realtor ignores all my messages or attempt for communication, it may cause me to think that he/she doesn’t care at all. Finding that balance is the key in my opinion.

Ability to Negotiate

My realtor told me that anything is negotiable. From a dirty room, to having no islands or even a broken door handle. I won’t pretend to know whether that is true or not. At the end of the day, if the deal is amazing, I won’t really care if I put in a hundred dollars to fix up a door handle.

Reliability

A good real estate agent should also be reliable and be able to meet deadlines. It is definitely not a good thing if they don’t show up where they are supposed to and is always too busy to have a meeting with you.

What to do moving forward

I am in no rush to purchase a unit but if the right opportunity does come by, I will be ready to put my offer in. In the meantime, I will patiently wait for when that day comes and be ready to pounce on it when it is presented.

After all, I believe that profit is made at the purchase and not at the sell.

What do you think is an indication of a good real estate agent?