Superman_5

What makes a SUPER Realtor?

We all know a Realtor, right? It’s sometimes a family member, a friend at work, the guy stocking shelves at Wal-Mart…well maybe not the last one? But you want a SUPER REALTOR! How do you pick a Great Realtor to sell your largest investment or help you chose your next home? During my many years as a Realtor I have had many mixed experiences working with Realtors? Rather then calling out other Realtors (low hanging fruit, and very tacky), I thought I would rather tell you what I would look for if I were looking to sell or buy my next house.

  1. Commitment: Is the Realtor ready to make the time necessary to meet your needs. This isn’t always about being full time or part time it’s sometimes more about flexibility and organizational skills. I have met plenty of full times Realtors who never return phone calls, can’t figure out addendum’s, have sloppy contracts, or my biggest pet peeve of all, don’t update there listings.
  2. Monetary investment: Can your agent invest in the marketing of your home. My average investment in marketing a house usually runs several thousand dollars. This includes everything from hanging the sign, professional stager, virtual photographer, and color brochures to subscriptions to websites and technology investments (360 tours, auto feedback, lock boxes {checkout my blog on lock boxes} online real estate docs etc. All of these investments are made without receiving the first CENT. Now image listing 6 to 10 houses at a time?
  3. Education: As I think most of us know by now the bar to become a Realtor is low. There are required classes one must take and a state test that you have to pass but for the most part its fairly easy. I would ask any Realtor that wanted to work for me what type of continuing education the agent has taken since becoming a Realtor. I personally carry the Broker designation (must be a full time Realtor for at least 3 years, take 180 hours of class room course work and pass a national and state administered test), ABR, Accredited Buyer representative (advanced buyer techniques) and CDPE, Certified Distressed Property Expert (training with distressed property such as short sales and foreclosures). Other designations that I like (and have not gotten around to taking) are E-Pro (advanced web technology training), Green and GRI.  I would also ask if your Realtor has attended any Realtor conferences? Realtor conferences are extremely important because of the timely topics that are often discussed such as new trends and changes to Real Estate laws and policies. By asking this question you will also know just how connected your Realtor is with the rest of the Realtor community. Engaged Realtors are successful Realtors.
  4. People Skills: It almost goes without saying that one must have good people skills to be in sales. Think about it, if your agent lacks people skills how will he or she work with a fellow Realtor. Do you really want someone to negotiate on your behalf that has no people skills.
  5. Location, Location, Location: Hiring a local Realtor is critical!! A local Realtor will know things about a neighborhood, local builders, proposed county projects and schools that no web search site will ever know. I would flat out ask during the interview where was the last house they “SOLD either as a listings agent or buyers agent”.
  6. Embrace Technology: Does your Realtor embrace all the new technology being used to find and sell real estate in today’s market? Does he or she have a Blog, Twitter account, Facebook profile or You Tube account? What about auto reply feedback, daily market availability emailed directly to you? When you google your agents name how many hits do you get? If you google a recent listing how many hits come up? Ask him or her to define Social Media. Btw, if he or she tells you that they market in the local paper, RUN!!!

What qualities in a Realtor do you think I’ve missed? Let me know?

Take Care,

Chuck Rifae

Serving all of your Ashburn, Leesburg, Mclean and Loudoun County area Real Estate needs!

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