Choosing a Real Estate agentis one of the most importantcomponents of buying a home or putting your home on the market for sale – especially in this market. Plus, the NC Offer to Purchase contract is changing significantly January 2011. You need a good agent to help you navigate the process regardless if you are a buyer or a seller!
Here is a list of what to do if you are looking to buy or sell a home:
1. Make sure your agent is a Realtor. Realtors are required to conform to higher standards and ethics. They must belong to the local, state and National Association of Realtors.They also hold themselves to higher standards regarding client rights. That means you have a trustworthy professional on your side.
2. Find out how many years your Realtor has been in the business and the areas in town where they have a lot of experience.
3. Check with the NCReal Estate Commision to see if they arelicensed orhave been censored or found guilty of violating any of the Realtor Code of Ethics. Also, check out their website and or blog. Look at their testimonials from past clients. How do they market their listings? How do they keep up-to-date on what is happening in the market?
4. Meet with your potential Realtor and make sure youfeel comfortable with them. Do they listen to you and do you feel like they understand what you are looking for in a home?
5. See if they have any designations such as ABR – Accredited Buyers Representative or CRS – Certified Real Estate Specialist. Agents who take the time to become more educated about the real estate industry show how dedicated they are to serving their clients.
I love happy clients! Here is a testimonial from my latest buyer, Landon Kanner. Landon was a first-time homebuyer.
I was a first time home buyer with lots of questions and several special needs. Lynn went above and beyond expectations on a regular basis. She is patient, knowledgeable, dependable, and hard working. Lynn told me from the beginning that she aimed to make clients for life, and her actions fully backed that claim up. I will certainly use her again, and I am recommending her to all of my friends. Lynn’s advice was always spot on. My only regret was not listening to her more often.
Awwww, shucks!