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The Five Biggest Pitfalls To Avoid
Did you know lawsuits are filed everyday on real estate transactions gone bad? Did you know that new agents account for more failed transactions than all the other realtors put together? Or did you know that having a realtor who works part time can easily cost you thousands of dollars? Too many buyers and sellers enter into this very important relationship casually. They met their realtor at an open house or they were the first person they talked to when they called on an ad. While it is possible to find a good realtor this way, it really is only the luck of the draw. Why would you gamble with such a valuable asset? Here are the 5 most common mistakes in hiring a realtor and how to avoid them: 1. <B>The Realtor is not interviewed.<B> I already mentioned the casualness aspect. What really is the most important things for you when buying or selling? Write out a list of 10 or so questions that help you determine if the realtor will really be a good fit for you and your property. If you need some help with this send me an email with REALTOR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS in the subject line and I will send you a list of possible questions. 2. <B>The Realtor has no experience.<B> They might be really sweet, they might be your friends nephew - if they don't have experience, it is very simple, do not hire them! Most of the experience comes from years of being in the trenches and having been through a lot of transactions. So also keep in mind - if they have been in the business 3 years but only do 3 transactions a year, that doesn't count. Watch out for part-timers. To be competent they need to be full time. The 2 important questions are: How long and how many transactions per year do you do? 3. <B>They work cheap.<B> A great question to ask is how often they cut their commission or make concessions to their clients. You might think often is a good answer, but think again. If they are easy to roll over on their commission, are they really going to be a strong negotiator for you? It's not likely. If they are good at taking care of their own business there is a much better chance they will take good care of your business. 4.<B>They don't have a written plan<B> This is important stuff. Wouldn't you want a plan? If they have not gone to the trouble to create a written plan they can share with you, then you can assume they are "winging it" and details will not be handled consistently or efficiently. 5. <B>Salespeople should be good salespeople.<B> The first sign of a good salesperson is they ask a lot of questions. If they spend most of the time bragging about themselves and how good they are, move on. A tuly fine salesperson wants to help you get exactly what you want in the smoothest, fastest and most efficient way. The best way to do that is by finding out everything they can about what's most important to you. I recommend when you first talk to a realtor you like, tell them you are interviewing realtors and set an appointment to meet with them at their office. (This will also give you an idea about how they run their business.) Spend a little time with them, ask them your interview questions, then make your choice. If you follow these simple steps, you will save yourself time and money <I>and<I> you will have a trusted and competent advocate not just for now but for many years to come.
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- NUMBER1EXPERT™ 
