Trusted Real Estate Agent in Granville Ohio

How To Find A Trusted Real Estate Agent In Granville Ohio

Trusted Real Estate Agent Aaron Graves

Trusted Real Estate Agent Aaron Graves In Granville Ohio

OK consider hiring a home improvement contractor without first checking references and analyzing their arrangement of past work? Presumably not. Most people do their research before they hire service professionals like roofers, plumbers, and general contractors to make sure they find someone trustworthy.

However, this due diligence often falls by the wayside when it comes to hiring a Trusted Real Estate Agent. Yet buying or selling a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make, and finding the right person to represent your interests is key to getting the best deal or the best return on your investment.

On the off chance that you pick the correct real estate agent, the procedure will go moderately easily. Nonetheless, an inappropriate agent can unleash destruction on an exchange and potentially even lose you the deal altogether. As such, it’s a major choice.

Be that as it may, what would it be a good idea for you to search for while hiring a real estate agent? What warnings would it be a good idea for you to keep an eye out for? This is what you have to know to find a Trusted Real Estate Agent.

What Type of Agent Do You Need?

First things first: Are you buying a home or selling a home? This answer is key to figuring out the type of agent you need.

Agents who work with homeowners selling a home are called “seller’s agents” or “listing agents.” These agents speak to the interests of the mortgage holder during the listing and exchange process.

Agents who work with home buyers are called “buyer’s agents” or “selling agents.” These agents speak to the interests of the purchaser during the showing and exchange process. Some purchasers’ agents work only with purchasers, meaning they don’t list any homes whatsoever.

The terms “seller’s agent” and “selling agent” often confuse people in the home buying and home selling process because they sound almost identical. In any case, they speak to various gatherings with various interests. Seller’s agents speak to the gathering selling a home while selling agents speak to the gathering buying the home; however, they’re only called a “selling agent” once the final contract is signed.

Dual Agents

Some agents are called “dual agents,” which means they’ve agreed to represent the interests of both the buyer and seller during the home buying process.

Here’s the way it works. Imagine you stroll into an open house and become hopelessly enamored with the spot. It’s a hot property, and you know it won’t last. You just started your home search and don’t have your very own agent. Be that as it may, the listing agent is nearby and couldn’t want anything more than to assist you with making an idea on the home in that spot. You would prefer not to hold back to get your own agent, so you consent to work with her. For this situation, you just entered a working association with a double agent.

Dual agency is controversial because agents are forced to walk a very fine line and stay neutral throughout the process. After all, they’re representing a seller who wants to get the highest price possible for their home and a buyer who wants to get the lowest price possible for that same home.

There’s also a potential conflict of interest because of the commission. In a typical sale, the buyer’s agent and listing agent split the roughly 6% commission, getting roughly 3% each. A dual agent keeps 100% of the commission, which means it’s in their best interest to sell a home for the highest price possible. This works out great for the seller, but not so great for the buyer.

Numerous real estate experts feel unequivocal about dual agency, in light of current circumstances. Double agents are lawfully restricted from taking sides in the exchange or sharing secret information. So they get twofold the commission while providing less counsel and direction to the two gatherings. More often than not, the main individual who really benefits is the agent.

Dual agency is only legal in some states, such as California and Texas. In the states where it’s allowed, agents are legally bound to disclose their dual agency before a contract is signed. To find out if dual agency is legal in your state, simply Google “Is dual agency legal in” along with your state’s name.

How to Find a Great Trusted Real Estate Agent

Not every agent out there will be the right fit for you. Even highly successful agents have their downsides.

For instance, the top-selling agent in your general vicinity may have an amazing advertising spending plan and an enormous group set up to help customers. Be that as it may, this may mean you wind up working with a few unique individuals all through the buying or selling process. In case you’re looking for individual consideration, this specific agent probably won’t be the best fit.

Then again, you may run over an agent with substantially less experience however whose character fits impeccably with yours. You presume that their drive to make you happy –and get some truly necessary referrals and tributes consequently – may be a higher priority than experience alone.

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to finding the best agent for your situation. Here’s how to get started.

1. Create a Short List of Agents

Thanks to Google, you can easily find dozens to hundreds of Trusted Real Estate Agents in your area with a few keystrokes. However, you’ll usually find more detailed information on agents through a real estate website.

One of the best places to start your search is Zillow’s Agent Finder, which allows you to see a full list of local agents with their client testimonials and recent listings. The ongoing listings highlight is particularly helpful. To begin with, you can utilize it to find agents who have as of late worked with vendors or purchasers in the region you’re considering. In case you’re selling your home, it likewise lets you break down how every agent photos and markets their listings. For instance, does each listing look proficient and appealing? Is there a video visit?

Other helpful websites include Realtor.com and HomeLight.

Make a list of at least three agents you’re interested in interviewing.

2. Ask Lots of Questions

Now that you’ve got a shortlist of agents, your next step is to talk to them in person. Yes, you can do a phone interview, but meeting in person is better.

A face-to-face meeting enables you to really discover who this individual is, the thing that their qualities are and whether their character will fit well with yours. This is the individual who will be guiding you through an upsetting, and financially huge, process; you have to feel great talking with them. You additionally need to know whether they’re going to come clean with you instead of glossing over some awful news. And you need to know that you share the same core values.

Start with these general questions:

Do you work in real estate full-time?
How long have you been licensed?
Are you a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR)? (The NAR requires additional training and adherence to a strict code of ethics.)
Do you work with a team? If so, will I primarily work with you or someone else?
How much of your business comes from referrals?
What is your average number of current clients?
How do you like to communicate? (For example, your agent might prefer quick texts to pass along information, while you’d rather have a phone call. Make sure you’re on the same page here, as good communication is key to a successful working relationship.)
Has a client ever filed a complaint against you or your agency? If so, how did you handle it?
Have you won any professional awards?
What kind of contract do you offer? What happens if I’m unhappy with our working relationship?
What do you like best about being a realtor? What do you like least?

These questions are a great way to get the conversation started. However, you’ll need to ask additional questions depending on if you’re buying or selling.

If You’re Selling a Home

If you’re selling a home, ask potential agents the following questions:

How many sales did you close this year?
How many homes have you sold in my area? Were they in a similar price range as my home?
How many of those homes sold at or near the list price?
Do you require pre-qualification or pre-approval from a mortgage company before showing homes?
What is your fee? What other real estate fees will I be responsible for? (Keep in mind that real estate fees are negotiable.)
What is your marketing strategy for a home like mine?
Do you use a professional photographer or home stager?
What do I need to do to get my house ready for sale or increase its curb appeal? (They might have some suggestions for remodeling projects to increase your home’s value.)
Do you host open houses?
How long do you think it will take to sell my home?
Who is my target buyer?

If You’re Buying a Home

If you’re buying a home, consider these questions:

How familiar are you with the areas or neighborhoods I’m interested in?
Is there anything happening in this area or neighborhood that I should know about? If so, will these changes affect home prices now or in the future?
What times are you available to show houses?
How often will you send me new listings that match what I’m looking for?
Can you recommend other professionals I’ll need, such as a home inspector?
How long does the typical buying process take with you?
How many homes do you show buyers, on average, before they make an offer? (This is a significant measurement in light of the fact that a decent realtor will comprehend what their customers need and should show less homes before finding the correct fit. This spares time and energy for everybody involved.)
Do you attend each home inspection? (Agents who attend home inspections can ask the home inspector detailed questions directly; this information can help them negotiate a lower price.)
What is your sale-to-list ratio for your last 10 transactions? (The difference between the sale price and list price will give you an important clue about how good this agent is at negotiating.)

3. Talk to Past Clients

When you’ve interviewed a few agents face to face, it’s basic to talk with a portion of their past customers. Request that every agent gives you contact information for in any event three customers they’ve worked with within the previous year.

Consider asking these clients the following questions:

How was your experience with this agent overall?
What did you like best about this agent? What did you like least?
If you sold your home, how did the agent market your property? Do you feel it was effective? How long was your home on the market?
If you bought your home, do you feel the agent was willing to show you every property you were interested in? Did you feel they understood what you really wanted in a home?
Were they quick to respond to phone calls and email?
Are they good listeners?
What was your home’s list price and final sale price?
Do you feel this agent got you the best price possible?

4. Verify Their License

It’s hard to believe that someone would lie about being a licensed real estate agent, but it happens. Fortunately, there’s an easy way for consumers to check that an agent’s license is legitimate. The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) has a searchable database that allows consumers to verify an agent’s license or registration.

Final Note

Buying and selling a home is emotional and stressful for many reasons. A lot is at stake, and it’s one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make in your life. Finding a Trusted Real Estate Agent for your situation is key to making sure the transaction goes smoothly and everyone walks away happy.

Do your research. Yes, it takes time and effort, but choosing the right agent will pay huge dividends in the long run.

If you are still looking for a Trusted Real Estate Agent in Granville Ohio or have any more questions, look no further! Contact me or give me a call. I’d be happy to sit down with you, share my experience, and discuss your options for either buying or for selling a home.