Finding a Good Agent

A good real estate agent can save and make you money.

1. Knows What To Fix and What’s A Waste of Your Money

Will you get a higher price if you put in new carpeting? Landscaping? A good agent knows just what you should do to get your home in “open house” shape without giving away a hunk of your profits. When screening for agents, ask for examples of what fix-ups pay off in your neighborhood.

2. Recommends Service Providers that Get the Job Done—At the Best Price

Look for an agent who is well connected and knows who’s who in your community. Good agents know the best painters, inspectors, title insurance companies, etc. Forget the yellow pages if you really want to save money, time and frustration. Ask agents to tell you about their networks.

3. Knows What Price the Market will Bear

A pricing plan of attack must be crafted with your home’s positives and negatives in mind. A good agent will have done his/her homework and have a clear picture of comparables that have sold-and NOT sold. Their pricing advice can be worth thousands. Ask agents for a list of their recently sold homes and compare the initial listing price vs. sold price.

4. Negotiates Rather Than “Giving the Farm Away”

Savvy agents are skilled at negotiating the best price for your home by understanding the psychology of the buyer. They also know how to qualify potential buyers quickly to avoid wasting time and, if necessary, secure you a rent-back to avoid moving twice. Ask agents to give you examples of tough negotiations they have handled and how they were able to succeed.

5. Resolves Problems

Time is money when listing and going thru escrow-particularly if you’ve already bought your next home. A good agent’s mindset is to get the deal completed in the shortest amount of time – with the most amount of money winding up in your pocket.

My promise to you is to be the BEST real estate agent you can hire. I hope you’ll consider me for the job!