JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Choosing your realtor is one the biggest decision you will make when house searching -- aside from picking the actual house.
But how do you know you are choosing the right one?
Missi Howell, president of the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors said it’s important to interview several realtors before selecting the one who best suits your needs.
She said there are some key areas where you need to be asking questions before choosing a realtor.
First is finding out their experience and education around negotiating.
“Even though we’re in a seller’s market, it doesn’t mean that there’s no negotiating,” Howell said. “In fact, the negotiations happen all the way through the transaction, so you want to make sure that the realtor you’re working with has that experience to go the distance for you.”
Second is to find out what marketing plan is being offered.
“In this day of COVID, more people are looking digitally to get to their shortlist, so you want to make sure the realtor is presenting the property in a multi-platform basis: whether it be print, digital or virtual,” Howell said.
Third is to be aware of the realtor’s reputation, both for success of selling homes and client experience.
“What kind of research are you doing to truly vet out that professional that you’re going to be working with,” Howell said. “This is the largest financial transaction most people will make in their life, so just like if you’re vetting a physician, you want to make sure they’re handling your best interest with skill, care and diligence.”
For more advice from Howell on selecting the best realtor, watch the video at the top of this article.
Tips from a broker
U.S. sales of new homes rose another 1.6% in December.
Mortgage Broker Lee Simanoff joined us on The Morning Show to talk about what buyers need to know before they enter the market.
Watch the interview below: