Signs You May Have a BAD Realtor
For most people, Buying or Selling a house is a major financial decision, and have hired a licensed Realtor to represent their interests. So how do you know if you’re Realtor is any good?
Are you thinking about buying a house? If so, and especially if this is your first time doing so, here’s my top 3 signs you have a bad real estate agent:
A buyer’s agent is responsible for helping you find your ideal home based on your budget.
They also must take the time to listen to your needs, and educate you about the local market.
Once you’ve found the right house, they negotiate a great price and terms, and educate you about the entire buying process.
And most importantly, keep you in the loop so you never have to ask “What’s Next?”
At least, that’s what they’re supposed to do.
Sign #1 you have a bad buyers agent:
Communication Issues
One of the most common complaints home buyers have about their real estate agents: They can’t get in touch with them!
You Call.....Text......Email.. You wait.....there’s no timely response. This can be detrimental in a hot housing market. Poor communication will cause you to miss out on opportunities to buy the house you really want.
Sign #2 you have a bad buyers agent:
Power Struggles
Granted, it takes a high level of professional confidence to walk a home buyer through the most expensive purchase they’ll ever make.
But that does not mean your realtor can forget who’s the boss.
You. Are. The. Boss. Period
Any agent who pressures you to buy a home you aren’t sure about or much more than you need to spend is more interested in their commission than helping you find the best home for you and your family.
Sign # 3 of a bad buyers agent:
Lack of Leadership
The flip side of this, is your agent is only a “yes-man”?
Meaning they always seems to agree with all your apprehensions and not offering you any honest, solid advice.
You want an agent who’ll give you honest advice based on their research and experience—even when they know you may not like what they have to say.
And there’s constructive ways these things need to be said.
Your buyers agent doesn’t have a license to be a jerk!
No matter how many questions you have or how basic they may be, your agent should be patient enough to answer each one without throwing a ton of jargon at you.
And you’ve got to be able to trust your agent to act professionally on your behalf.
Simply put: You don’t have to put up with an arrogant, condescending or just plain rude agent.
Your Agent should have patience of a teacher and negotiating skills of a lion.
If you’re probably nodding you head right now or red flags doing up in your head....
It’s time to hire a new agent.
What if You’re a Homeowner and thinking about Selling?
A great listing agent educates you about the local market and helps you set the correct price. They take care of all the marketing to make sure qualified buyers see it.
They give you tips about staging your home for showings and help make sure the curb appeal is actually, appealing. Finally, they are experienced, expert negotiators.
Here are four signs you have a bad listing agent:
Sign # 1 Brand New Agent with little experience
When thinking about selling your home , you may ask around about hiring a Realtor..and your cousin just got their real estate license.. Your Uncle Gary convinces you to give your cousin the listing to give Cuz a break.
Epic Mistake!...Not because of the family ties..
Because An inexperienced agent doesn’t have the industry contacts or (sometimes) even the know-how to handle the home-selling process.
Missing one little deadline can easily cost you the sale of your home.
Plus, you need an experienced negotiator—both for the sale price and any repairs that may come up after the home inspection.
You cannot fake experience.
Sign # 2 Poor Marketing
Your agent’s job is to attract buyers for your home.
That does not mean just putting a sign in the yard and the listing in the MLS.
That’s known as “Post and Pray.” It’s when you post a sign in front of a home and pray someone buys it.
I’m a big believer in the power of prayer, but I also believe in marketing and hard work.
Ask to see your agent’s marketing plan for your home. Make sure you understand why they choose some marketing methods over other. If your Realtor is any good, they will be able to fully explain why they do or not do certain marketing strategies without sounding like they are handing you a line of BS.
Sign # 3 Misplaced Priorities
Realtors work on commission. It’s easy to figure out that if the house is more expensive the bigger the Realtors paycheck is going to be.
This fact should never come into play in the way an agent represents his clients.
Are you feeling your agent treating you as a “lesser” client just because of the price point of your home?
Is there lack of communication,
showing up late for appointments,
showing impatience when answering your questions,
and (here’s a a big clue) pressing you to drop your asking price without giving any evidence to support the request? A good real estate agent will show you recently sold listings that you are competing against.
If any of these are ringing a bell about your current Realtor, it’s a major sign that something isn’t right.
4. Nothing’s Happening
Real estate is a results-based business. If it’s been weeks with no showings, no calls and no interest, it’s time for a “come to Jesus” meeting with your agent.
In this meeting, you must make it crystal clear that you expect timely reports and commincation..Even if there’s nothing to report. If they don’t, or if they say they will and the problem persists, stop wasting your time with the wrong agent.
By the way: If your home is not selling in this hot sellers market, it’s not your agent. it’s your pricing.
What to Do if You Have a Bad Real Estate Agent
You’ve tried speaking with your agent. You’ve had not one, but several “Come to Jesus” meetings, and they’re just not coming around. It’s time to cut them loose.
But you have to be careful.
Read your contract. Usually, there is a defined expiration date.
The first thing to do is speak with the agent’s broker and ask them to let you out of the deal. If the situation merits, Brokers always want to maintain good will in the community.
If that doesn’t work, it may be time to get a lawyer involved.
But If your agent has any integrity at all, it shouldn’t come to this.
In the meantime, you can start interviewing a replacement.
Above all of this, choose a Realtor that cares more about YOU and your family than they do about their commission check.
I’m Lisa Kelly with Premier Realty. Until then, I ‘ll see you on the next
one.