Let’s face it: Buying or selling a home is exciting.
Sure, it can – at least initially – feel overwhelming to navigate and ultimately decide on The One, but much like dating, the exhilaration is undeniable.
And do you know the best way to combat any fears, concerns, questions, and doubts?
Knowing – beyond the shadow of a doubt – that you have the absolute best real estate representative by your side.
Here, members of the Forbes Real Estate Council weigh in on how prospective buyers or sellers can find The One agent that can help them find The One home for them, as well as some timeless advice from our very own resident expert, the one-and-only DeLeon Sheffield herself!
- Make sure your real estate agent is local.
“You need someone with knowledge of the neighborhood and surrounding areas who also understands its housing market, inventory, schools and more. Your BFF from high school may be a rockstar agent in a town 30 miles away – but they probably shouldn’t be your agent.” – DeLeon Sheffield, DeLeon Sheffield Company
- Make sure you’re compatible with your agent.
“This requires some introspection and the ability to get a sense if you two will vibe well – or not. You must be compatible with whoever you pick. If you know that you’re someone who needs answers quickly, consider hiring someone who has a support team to meet that particular need.” – DeLeon Sheffield, DeLeon Sheffield Company
“Don’t choose an agent based solely on experience. Although it’s good to have, it’s not everything. You will be spending a lot of time with that agent and you need to mesh. Choose someone relatable and real. Choose for you, not for the house. Choose someone good at talking and negotiating.” – Kevin Taylor, Sand to City Real Estate Team
- Make sure you get referrals.
“In business as in life, it’s all about who you know. And when it comes to making a huge purchase or entrusting the sale of your home to someone, you want to be sure that the agent’s been vetted, preferably a few times over.
“And referrals are a big measure of how successful an agent is. In fact, according to the National Association of Realtors, 64 percent of sellers who used an agent found them through a referral by friends or family and of those, 70 percent said they would use that agent again.” – DeLeon Sheffield, DeLeon Sheffield Company
“Despite the technology that seems to take over much of the searching for a home, the right real estate agent is still a human-to-human choice. A referral is best. There’s no bigger compliment to an agent than a referral from a past client. Ask homeowners who they would recommend. If you know the area you want to purchase in or sell your home in, there will be an expert in that area.” – Eileen Lacerte, Hawaii Beach and Golf Properties
- Make sure you don’t hire a ‘yes’ person.
“The best listing agent is not the one who tells you what you want to hear. Everyone selling a home wants top dollar, so it’s recommended that potential sellers vet at least three agents before picking one. And be careful to not pick the agent who suggests the highest listing price – without supporting that price point with local market data.” – DeLeon Sheffield, DeLeon Sheffield Company
Whether it’s business or pleasure, finding a good person all comes down to core values. Core values are important because you want to work with someone that plays by the same rules you do. For example, if you are an honest person who tells the truth, would you not want someone to tell the truth to you? – Chris Ryan, Luxury Lifestyles Group / RE/MAX Crest Realty Westside
“As the client, you begin the dialogue — but pay close attention to the agent or broker and how he/she listens and asks YOU questions. Most successful agents have access to the technology it takes to make your property seen or to find options for purchase, but it takes a human being to understand and work to achieve your specific goals. Take time to find a human you respect and trust.” – Beverly Serral, Beverly Serral Signatures
- Make sure you do your homework.
“There are career real estate agents and then there are those known as real estate ‘hobbyists’ – those who get a real estate license to represent themselves in a transaction, those who do it a few hours a day while their kids are in school, and those who do it as a second job to supplement their day jobs. While ‘hobbyists’ can be closers, be sure to ask prospective agents how many transactions they closed in the previous 12 months, making sure it’s at least once a month.” – DeLeon Sheffield, DeLeon Sheffield Company
“Great real estate investment sales brokers never show up out of nowhere. It takes a long time to build a track record that attracts quality inventory. With single-family houses, reciprocity is the rule, but in commercial it is definitely the exception. You need to be talking regularly with the top brokers in your target property type, size, and region to get the best deals.” – Michael Harris, CREModels
“Just because you have a friend who has a friend who knows an agent doesn’t mean you should necessarily work with this person. If you are considering an agent, Google them. Yelp them. Check out their website. Interview them. We are lucky to live in an age when there is so much information at our disposal, so use your resources.” – Elizabeth Ann Stribling-Kivlan, stribling.com
The biggest common denominator in nearly every single piece of advice above? Trust. There is absolutely no substitution – no amount of money or time or service – more invaluable than trust.
So for a dedicated team of experienced real estate professionals with your best interest at heart, trust in DeLeon Sheffield Company.
Because at DeLeon Sheffield Company, ‘We’re More Than Realty; We’re Family.’
