Selecting Your Real Estate Broker
Having a real estate broker is like having an opinion – virtually everybody has one. And like a good tenant for owners of investment properties, good real estate brokers are gold.
How do you select a good one? Ask your friends, family, co-workers, your title company friend, your mortgage broker, and the person next to you at Denny’s. Ask the Chamber of Commerce. Look at the signs around town – who is listing the most homes? Usually there is a reason for that. Ask around on Social Media but keep a wary eye on the responses. It is a bit funny when someone asks for a local broker with a great reputation, and a respondent gives a name from a city 40 miles away. See the first line – “virtually everybody has one.” That doesn’t necessarily mean they are putting forth the best agent for you in that local area. It might mean they are recommending their daughter, their golf partner, or someone who sends them a lot of home loan candidates.
Our best advice? Interview a few, perhaps three. Who is on time? Who understands technology? Who listens after asking you what is important to you? Who lets you get a word in edgewise, and encourages you to wax philosophical about your real estate dreams? With which one do you feel most comfortable? Who is most candid, telling you that your $300,000 home is not actually worth $400,000 like your mom said? Which real estate broker will tell you to see a lender and give it several months of following their sage advice to get your 540 credit score up by paying all your bills on time and reducing your use of credit to 30% or less of your credit line? Which one has the most impressive, user-friendly webpage and doesn’t dabble in silly stuff on Facebook? Which one has a contemporary view of the current market, and can move easily between data and pleasantries?
Most importantly, which one does what they say they are going to do in the timeframe they said they would do it, and with the quality they promised? Are their presentation materials professional? Did they ask you how you would like to receive the information as to the estimated value of your property in today’s market? If you asked for a one-page summary did, they give you 50 pages of glitz? If you asked for all the bells and whistles with 50 pages of glitz, did they call you and give you a verbal estimate?
“…In the world of real estate brokers, what sets the best from the rest is relatively simple – service that at least meets if not exceeds your expectations….”
Testimonials are a good way to help you decide which real estate broker is the best fit for you. Most agents will have several on their web page, and if you are lucky, you may know those who “testify”!
The ideal brokerage is one that has someone there for you. Our belief is that anyone walking into one of our three offices is going to find someone that fits them like a warm glove on a cold winter day. Maybe it is the millennial who lives and breathes technology. Maybe it is the Boomer who has been successful for years and is only now discovering the power of Tweets. Maybe it is the person who genuinely enjoys working with seniors who wish to downsize or the veteran who knows what it takes to help those who serve (or served) get their homeowner dreams fulfilled.
In the world of real estate brokers, what sets the best from the rest is relatively simple – service that at least meets if not exceeds your expectations. Candor. Someone who believes community service is a privilege and giving back to their community is simply the right thing to do. A real estate broker with knowledge of the market and what is happening in it and to it. Ethics. To us, ethics matter, and our customers deserve at least our best, every day. And a real estate broker who puts you above their commission. The good ones know that if they do these things, the money will follow but more importantly, so will the referrals and lifetime friendships.
Contact us to get started today!
Silverton Office 503-874-4666
Woodburn Branch Office 503-446-5411
Keizer Branch Office 971-339-5244
Bledsoe Santana Team Realty LLC, Oregon Licensed Brokers
You must be logged in to post a comment.