If you’ve decided to buy or sell a home you’re probably wondering, “How do I find the best real estate agent?” The answer isn’t straightforward because there’s no such thing as a “best” real estate agent.
There’s only the best real estate agent for you.
You should hire an agent based on his or her unique value proposition, communication skills, and personal connections. Great real estate agents aren’t just there to sign paperwork; they cultivate a relationship between buyers, sellers, lenders, other agents, and the community they serve.
Stellar agents leverage all of these connections to save you time, money, and the hassle involved with real estate transactions. They also have a legal duty to serve their clients and must know their trade well to be effective. So, keeping these responsibilities in mind, what should you look for in an agent and how can AgentStory help?
What Do Buyers and Sellers Look For in an Agent?
Before you can use AgentStory to find the best agent for your real estate search, it’s essential to understand what to look for in an agent. Not all agents are equal, and you should spend time shopping for representation.
Local Market Knowledge
When agents value a home, they pull comparable properties in your area that have recently sold and add or subtract your home’s differences to the price. Trying to determine what homes are similar in the first place is a serious undertaking. Agents connected to other agents and homeowners in the area have more market insight. Their networking plugs them into which houses are selling quickly and for the most money.
Local market knowledge can also help agents suggest the most efficient cleaning, repair, photography, and other services homeowners might need before the big move.
References
Homebuyers and sellers can benefit from scanning agent testimonials and character references before choosing an agent. After all, being in real estate is all about networking and communication. Stellar agents should have a track record of successful deal navigation and previous clients who enjoyed working with them. Communication styles vary, so be sure to give qualified agents a formal interview besides reading reviews. If there isn’t enough data on an agent, especially if the agent is new, ask them to provide a professional reference.
Specialized Experience
You can benefit from choosing an agent with the proper experience. There are three factors to consider:
1. Do I need a buyer’s or seller’s agent?
2. What types of homes does this agent sell?
3. What is the price of this agent’s average sale?
Knowing whether your agent focuses on sellers or buyers is important. There are many overlapping skill sets required, but specialization can make a difference during a massive financial transaction. The more experience an agent has with a seller or buyer, the more familiar they are with the role’s responsibilities. If an agent wants to represent you on both sides, buyer and seller, run away. While they might have good intentions, it’s not in your best interest to hire representation with too much skin in the game.
Additionally, it’s important to consider the types of homes and price points of the agent’s past transactions. If he or she has extensive experience in selling or finding townhouses and single-family homes, you can imagine the switch to luxury real estate might pose a challenge. Knowing what an agent’s skill set is can speed up the process, potentially lower the price you’ll pay for a home, and sweeten a deal.
Real Estate Experience
An overview of an agent’s experience in the industry is another factor to consider. Finding a real estate agent with only a few transactions could be a deterrent. Arguably, the more situations an agent has encountered, the better equipped they are to handle the unknown. More transactions equal more opportunities to find answers for buyers and sellers. And while some new agents pick up the trade quickly and are less prone to become “set in their ways,” keeping an agent’s history in mind during the selection process is a best practice.
Communication Skills
The right agent should be able to talk buyers and sellers through the sale, market the home effectively, negotiate with interested parties, and call on local experts to make things happen. Communication skills are paramount for real estate agents because they’re connecting all parties involved to accomplish a central goal. Find an agent with the gift of gab and the availability you need to complete the sale.
Work Ethic
Agents with a sterling work ethic get ahead in the real estate industry. And with uncapped earnings potential, why wouldn’t they? When you choose an agent, it’s crucial to pick someone who is constantly pushing to get the job done. Whether it’s answering a client’s questions promptly, tirelessly marketing your home, or conducting market research to ensure you get the best price, being a superb agent requires intense commitment and reliability.
How Does AgentStory Use Data to Spotlight the Right Agents for You?
As you can tell, finding an agent requires plenty of research. It’s hard to picture a snapshot of every metric—much less all of these metrics on an agent-by-agent basis. AgentStory solves this problem by taking massive amounts of agent data, organizing it into succinct categories, and sharing it with buyers and sellers to match them with agents who meet their needs.
Unique Agent Profiles With Data Prospects
One of the most functional aspects of AgentStory is the agent pages filled with useful information for buyers and sellers. There are four main areas AgentStoryorganizes data-driven insights to provide agent matches:
1. Sales and transaction data
AgentStory provides a high-level overview of sales and transaction data on every agent, so you can dig into recent transactions, buyer or seller designations, and how successful they’ve been with previous clients.
2. Type of homes sold
AgentStory displays what types of homes an agent specializes in selling. This allows buyers and sellers to identify their experience level with specific transactions.
3. Areas of Influence
One of the most important metrics you’ll need to find a great real estate agent is an agent’s Areas of Influence. AgentStory’s data organization identifies where an agent thrives, so you gain an understanding of his or her competency within each geographical area.
4. Personal and contact information
Once you’ve compared metrics, if you’d like to contact the agent you can review this data underneath their photo (located on their agent page) to conduct additional research.
MatchIndex™ Score
AgentStory has taken this data analysis to another level by incorporating the MatchIndex™ score. Essentially, this score sums up each agent’s transaction history and provides you with a relative value based on the compatibility of your search and their track record.
Buyers and sellers can use this score to swiftly move from page to page and build a list of qualified agents. You can use this list to call and interview agents—ultimately empowering your decision by matching agents to your current and/or next home’s price, type, and location.
The Bottom Line
AgentStory is a comprehensive search engine that uses data to find the best agents for your next real estate transaction. The agent pages can tell you important information such as local market expertise, transaction history, total sales, home type focus, and much more.
You can use AgentStory as a tool to narrow down the agents in your area before you begin the interview process. While AgentStory provides and organizes valuable real estate data, there’s no substitute for speaking with an agent and asking him or her questions specific to your needs.
