A home is the most valuable asset most people will ever have — in fact, three out of four people who own a home say it’s their biggest source of wealth. That means it’s worth picking the right home. But often, finding the best house for you requires finding the best Realtor, especially since there are many new homes for sale with the housing market rebounding. Here are a few tips to guide you in the process:
- Find a Realtor Who Is an Expert in the Area
Working with someone familiar with all the neighborhoods in a particular area can help you expand your search to options you didn’t even know existed, but might be perfect for your tastes.
- Find a Realtor Who Respects Your Budget
You should be methodical in determining your budget, and then expect your real estate agent to respect that budget. While you may be reluctant to set a hard cutoff — a house that’s a thousand dollars more, after all, won’t seem that much more expensive when it comes to your monthly mortgage — you’re setting yourself up for disappointment if you let your Realtor show you houses that you simply can’t afford.
- Find a Realtor Who Understands Your Needs
Make sure any Realtor you work with is aware of any special concerns you have. This might range from a wheelchair-accessible home to one with a legal apartment that you can rent out for extra income.
- Find a Realtor Who Sticks to the Rules
You may be surprised to know that there’s certain information real estate agents are legally prohibited from giving you, including crime stats and even some school information. This is to prevent steering based on race, class or other protected statuses. Once you know the reason, you should actually be pleased to know your Realtor is sticking to the rules if he or she declines to give you some details. If you want to look specifically at houses for sale near good schools, you’ll need to be willing to do some research yourself and then direct your Realtor to your desired neighborhood.
- Find a Realtor Who You Feel Comfortable With
This may seem obvious, but it’s one of the most important steps of choosing the best Realtor for you. All real estate agents have to be licensed, and many even have additional training. This means that there are plenty of qualified options, so it’s important you can build a good rapport with the agent you choose.
Can you share some tips on how to find the best Realtors? Join the discussion in the comments.
Learn more: americanequityrealty.com
