How To Find a Realtor

If you don’t have a friend or family member in the real estate industry that you know and trust, you should first consider setting 30 minute appointments with multiple Realtors to determine who the best fit is for you. After all, this is a really big purchase and you should trust them and know that they have your best interest at heart. 

In your meetings with a Realtor, you should ask a few questions to help you understand their knowledge.

• How long have they been Realtor?
• What is their availability?
• How do they communicate with clients?
• Are they working full time or part time? How much time can they dedicate to you?
• If you are a seller:
  • How will they price your home?
  • How long are homes in your area typically on the market for?
  • What is their commission fee?
  • How will they market your home to get the best value for you?
• If you are a buyer:
  • Which filters will be added to your home search?
  • How long are homes typically on the market? How quickly should you expect to have to submit an offer?
  • What is their commission fee?
  • What is the process from searching for homes to submitting legitimate offers?

After you determine which Realtor works best for you, the Realtor will typically have you sign an exclusive agreement: a buyer’s representation agreement for buyers or a listing agreement for sellers. This agreement creates an official, professional relationship between you and your Realtor. In other words, you are agreeing to work exclusively with this Realtor for the time period stated in the contract. Typically, the default timeframe is 90-180 days. so Realtors will likely not have you sign this until you’re prepared to start looking to purchase. Some Realtors will ask you to sign this agreement prior to setting you up on the MLS, viewing houses or submitting any offers. In addition, this document will state all obligations and expectations from bother parties.

I know I always feel slightly hesitant when I sign any sort of contract so it’s understandable to feel hestitation. Unfortunately, without this signed agreement, your Realtor is actually legally obligated to look at the best interest of the seller. Once this agreement is signed, YOU are officially a client to the Realtor and they are contractually bound to act in YOUR best interest.

I personally have always enjoyed the simplicity of being transparent in any action I do in my professional and personal life so I feel strongly this is a great starting point to a home buying and selling process. You can find the Buyers Representation Agreement and Listing Agreement in my Documents section of this website. 

Check out my other blog posts!

Realtor Responsibilities on Selling and Buying

You Can Negotiate Commissions as a Buyer

Benefits of Using the MLS (Multiple Listing Service)