Over the years, I’ve had many friends, family members, and clients tell me how they were “burned” by a dishonest realtor or real estate company.
Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous people in every profession, particularly those who work in the real estate industry. It can be hard to trust anyone who comes your way, referring to themselves as realtors.
One study estimates that 30% of all real estate agents are dishonest. There are always plenty of horror stories floating around. Despite all these, there are trustworthy realtors out there—who know the territory and your local market, and you can trust them to work in your best interest.
However, finding them is not a walk in the park. This article digs deep into finding reliable real estate agents and how to go about the whole process. Let’s explore
Table of Contents
Ask for Referrals
The best agents are rarely found by searching online, so don’t bother looking for one that way. Instead, ask friends, family members and co-workers for recommendations.
If someone has had a good experience with an agent, they’ll usually be happy to tell you about it.
Interview Multiple Candidates
Interview and ask for references from at least three real estate agents. Get recommendations from friends and family who have sold homes in the past and talk to friends or acquaintances currently selling their homes.
However, if you don’t know anyone selling their home at present, check out online reviews for agents around your area.
Look at Agents’ Track Records and Certifications
You want an experienced professional who will do everything possible to help you reach your goals — whether that means selling your home quickly or finding your dream home in a specific area. An honest agent will be able to show you proof of his or her certification and expertise.
Request References
Ask agents for current or past clients that you can contact to learn their experience working with a realtor.
Find out how responsive they were and if they delivered on their promises. Most importantly, find out how quickly problems were addressed when something didn’t go as planned during the homebuying process.
The last thing you want is to spend weeks on a home search only to find out that your chosen agent doesn’t respond quickly to issues that come up during escrow—or worse yet, doesn’t inform you about them at all.
Bottom Line
Finding a trustworthy real estate agent should be no hassle if you follow the simple steps above. Keep in mind that you need to do your research and stay safe during every step of the home buying process.
And trust your gut! If you don’t feel comfortable with an agent you’re dealing with, put more effort into finding another one.
Hopefully, this article has prepared you to find a world-class real estate agent in the future.