Everyone loves an underdog, but experience is everything when it comes to real estate. Although it may seem like working in real estate is easy, there’s actually a lot going on behind the scenes that play into your experience. Would you want a lawyer who just passed his exams to be fighting your battles in court, or would you prefer the lawyer who has worked on over 360 cases with a 90% win rate?
Probably the second.
It’s the same for buying or selling your property. You want someone who has been there and done that so many times they can do it in their sleep. When you go to invest in a property, you want someone who understands the market. If you want a new home for your family, you want someone who knows the best areas in the town for raising a family.
So what separates the wheat from the chaff? How do you tell the difference between the agents with experience and those to avoid? That, my friend, is the topic of today’s post.
Real Estate Agents
Real estate agents are really anyone who complete a course, study hard, and pass a test required by their home state. Once they are licensed real estate agents, they are required to complete a certain number of continuing education hours each year to keep their license. Rules and regulations govern them, but the experience level of real estate agents varies significantly.
Stepping in with a side note here: We know experience isn’t everything. You could have someone who has been a part of hundreds of real estate deals who doesn't deliver a pleasurable experience. Additionally, you could have a newbie take the cake when it comes to customer service and the level of expertise they employ. Experience is just an easy way to judge how great an agent is. Without any experience, it really is a coin toss to see if the agent is top-notch or not.
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Experienced Real Estate Agents
So, how do you tell the difference between an experienced agent and an inexperienced one? There is no public database that lists each agent by years of experience, although that would be excellent. So how can you tell?
Ask About Their Experience
There are a few of ways to tell if an agent is experienced or not. The first way is to ask them directly. Ask how many homes they have sold as well as the areas and price ranges they’ve worked in the past. The location and values of the homes matter because the marketing and lending are usually different depending on those demographics. An experienced real estate agent usually has an area of expertise-- whether that's working with 1031 exchanges or rehab properties. Knowing the agent's level of experience and expertise with the market you're in drops you on the road to success with your property.
Watch Their Confidence
Another way to tell an experienced agent from a green one is to watch how confident they are. Those who have helped purchase and sell many properties are confident in what they know. Experienced agents can look at a house and be able to tell you with certainty how well they can sell it for you. They’ll also be able to say to you when they cannot sell your home assuredly. Most new agents will help you sell or buy just about anything, so long as it makes them money and gives them experience. New agents also typically come from a place of desperation to make a sale rather than the strategic approach of most experienced agents.
Check the Reviews
Finally, experienced agents will have reviews. Satisfied clientele just can’t wait to tell their friends and neighbors about the quality of service they received.
Think about the last great restaurant you ate at. Not just an okay restaurant, but a really great one. Did you tell anyone about it? Chances are you did, and they may have decided to give it a try from what you said! The same goes for experienced agents. If a real estate agent does a great job, the word usually gets around. The more that people talk about them, the more experience they get, and it continues down the line.
A great way to tell an experienced real estate agent is by the amount and quality of reviews they have. These reviews are something you can check out online or verify with a friend who worked with them. You just can’t keep that level of greatness down.
How To Find An Experienced Real Estate Agent
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to locate those experienced agents. A great way to start looking for an experienced real estate agent is by asking your friends and family. As previously stated, people love to talk about good and bad experiences. Chances are, at least a few of them have had a run-in with a great real estate agent.
Too nervous to pick up the phone and call a few of your friends? No worries. These days, it’s as easy as sending out a tweet or asking for a recommendation on Facebook. When asking for suggestions, make sure you ask for experiences as well, so you don’t just get people nominating their brother that they’ve never actually used to buy a house.
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If asking for recommendations seems a bit tacky to you, you could log in to an online database of agents. Several companies are willing to play matchmaker with real estate professionals and the general public. Many agents pay a fee to be promoted through those companies, but they aren’t necessarily experienced real estate agents.
Some companies go out and find their real estate agents rather than recommend any Joe or Jill that will pay to be on their list. One company that searches out its agents is Clever Real Estate. Clever works with highly reviewed agents only and does not make the agents subscribe to join. That means the agents are referred are quality agents, who have a proven track record of serving their people well. The great thing about Clever is that it is a discount agency, which means they will sell your home for a flat rate. It’s not difficult to see why choosing a company like Clever is a good choice.
Looking for the top, experienced real estate agents in your area? Well, you can pull the break up here because you've found them. Clever works with top-reviewed local agents to provide you with the services you need at a great flat rate price. Call us today at 1-833-2-CLEVER or fill out our online form to get started.
