Great real estate agents are hard to find. But bad real estate agents are difficult to spot if you’re buying a home for the first time. Bad communication, a lack of web presence, and being desperate for a commission are just some of the red flags in a real estate agent. Read on to find out how to spot and avoid bad real estate agents.
Buying a home is one of the most important financial decisions of your life. It’s also probably going to be the biggest investment of your life. So, getting it right matters.
A good buyer's agent helps you do just that. From scouting for excellent properties to helping you with the final paperwork, a real estate agent should be able to take care of everything. Unfortunately, not all agents are great.
Most people buying a home don’t have any real estate experience and therefore don’t know what exactly a real estate agent should do. Due to this, recognizing a bad agent becomes difficult.
Here are nine signs to look out for.
Bad Communication
If there’s one sign that your real estate agent is no good, it’s lack of proper communication. Buying a home comprises numerous steps and each step should be communicated to you. Only after your complete approval should things move forward.
If your agent refuses to consistently pick calls or reply to emails and messages, it’s time to part ways. Going ahead can only cause more problems.
Never-Ending Search
This might have less to do with attitude and more to do with your agent’s capabilities. Even after several months of searching, if you haven’t been able to finalize a property, there’s something wrong.
You might not like the properties that your agent is showing you or maybe negotiations aren’t going through. The reason could be anything.
But, if it’s taking too long, it’s time to find another buyer's agent.
Inexperience
In real estate, experience matters a lot. Experienced real estate agents understand the system inside out, know their paperwork, and have a lot of contacts.
Inexperienced real estate agents are often figuring it all out with you. Given that it’s your money on the line, it’s better to stick with experienced agents.
Desperate
Some real estate agents are desperate for a transaction. They will do anything and everything you ask them to. If this describes your realtor, it’s better to change real estate agents.
Good real estate agents won’t agree with everything you say and don’t work for any price that you want. This isn’t to say that you can’t find great real estate agents for a lower commission. It’s just that most good real estate agents aren’t pushovers.
Without being rude or condescending, your real estate agent must give you sound advice.
Pushy
These are agents with the exact opposite attitude. They won’t budge on anything and instead, will try selling you stuff.
These might be extra services that they offer or just pushing you to go through with a property or a price that you aren’t interested in. These agents usually have commissions in mind.
One solution is to hire an agent who charges a flat fee.
Little to No Online Presence
The simple fact is, most house searching today happens online. Your real estate agent should be listing your place on every available portal, while also using other sites to get the word out that your property is on sale.
If you’re looking for a property, then it’s just the other way around. Every portal should be checked while also looking out for any property that turns up online.
If your real estate agent does not have a strong online presence, your chances are quite low these days.
Attitude Problems
Unfortunately, this isn’t very uncommon.
While it’s true that your real estate agent should be able to offer advice and guide you through the process, the fact is, you are the boss and your real estate agent should work for you.
If at any point, your real estate agent is rude, walk away. It isn’t acceptable. Attitude problems don’t inspire confidence, which is crucial in real estate deals. You should be safe in the knowledge that your agent represents you professionally everywhere.
Rude agents are not professional.
Lack Of Knowledge
Your real estate agent must be an expert in all the aspects of a deal. From property laws to knowledge about your specific property, your agent must know everything there is to know.
If your agent isn’t comfortable answering your queries or reaches into his pocket for papers or smartphones to answer, sufficient homework hasn’t been done. And lack of knowledge isn’t going help you in any way.
Fluctuating fees
Not all dealers offer a flat fee. However, once your agent knows your exact situation, you should get a quote.
And that quote shouldn’t fluctuate every day. Obviously, some minor changes may happen based on the price of the sale or the buy, but the format and structure of the fees shouldn’t change.
Now, some agents offer savings in realtor fees and some don’t, but a payment structure is agreed upon, there shouldn’t be too many changes.
One way to ensure that you get an excellent real estate agent is to work with a vetted Clever agent. They are experienced, professional, knowledgeable, and will help you throughout your buying or selling process.
