Fluffery Of Agent

How to Size Up Agents?

 Agents want your business, and in hot real estate markets, a lot of home buyers and home sellers are looking for agents. But not all agents are the same, and it can be tricky to find the right agent, especially if you’ve never bought a home before.

All agents will play up their strengths, but some might overplay things a bit. Not that they’re necessarily trying to mislead you or anything; it’s just that some agents are stronger than others and they’re all competing for business.

You’re the best judge of which is the best agent for you, but here are some tips on how to spot common techniques agents sometimes use to make themselves seem better or more experienced than they really are.

THE NON-EXPERT EXPERT AGENTS

Sometimes agents will try to stand out by showcasing expertise, but check out those claims.

·         If an agent has lots of property listings up on a Web page, check the fine print. Sometimes there are an impressive number of listings, but someplace (often in little tiny letters, down toward the bottom of the page) you’ll see the phrase "office listings." That means that, while the agent might be very busy, not all those listings belong to that agent. Some of them – and maybe all of them – are actually listed by other agents in the same real estate office.

·         Sometimes agents will identify themselves as a specialist in a particular neighborhood, or an expert in certain kinds of transactions. Just because agents want to be an expert doesn’t mean they are experts, though. Does that agent have listings or closed deals in that particular neighborhood? Can the agent describe a couple of those special transactions that have successfully been completed, and provide you with the names of clients and the property addresses? Ask.