Tips for Finding the Best Realtor

You’ve seen the ads… the yard signs… the free real estate booklets on the magazine rack at the grocery store. But when you’re searching for the right Realtor to suit your needs, what are the best ways to truly size up their potential? There are definite steps you can take to find the Realtor that will work their hardest for you. Here are some ideas!

Talk with an agent’s recent clients.

The best and quickest way to the truth? First hand experience. Ask your potential realtor for a list of recent clients and permission to contact them regarding their experience. A lot of times this comes with a list of homes they’ve listed and/or sold, closing prices, and how long they were on the market.

Check their license.

Any state’s regulatory body will be able to give information on how long your potential agent has had their license. Additionally, they’ll show whether they have any disciplinary actions or complaints against them. Oftentimes, this information can be found online!

Ask about awards.

Any Realtor worth their salt will generally be a member of their local National Association of Realtors organization. These groups give out awards like “Realtor of the Year,” voted on by peers.

Look for acronyms!

Like a doctor or a lawyer, the more letters after someone’s name the better. Look for a Realtor (with a capital R) that might have these abbreviations: CRS, certified residential specialist; ABR, accredited buyer’s representative; SRES, senior real estate specialist. And that capital R in Realtor? It means they’re a member of the National Association of Realtors!

Trust your gut.

We have our instincts for a reason. When speaking with an agent, get their life story. Find out why they went into real estate, what they know about their town, their go-tos for listing properties to sell or finding a buyer everything on their checklist.

The bottom line: be your own advocate. Speak up for yourself. Work with someone you grow to know and trust and you’ll either be in your dream home or have your home sold before you know it!