Hiring a real estate agent in Dallas / Fort Worth can be frustrating. So what are the steps on how to find a good real estate agent in Dallas / Fort Worth?
Many local large real estate brokers will spend thousands of dollars monthly to ensure that their agents are the most visible, whether it’s online, in local home selling magazines that you can pick up at the grocery store, or by plastering their agent’s names and faces on giant digital billboards in the most trafficked sections of Dallas / Fort Worth. So what’s the process of how to find a good real estate agent, anyway?
Keep in mind that the agents backed by the most promotion dollars aren’t always the best, and may not be a good fit for you and your specific circumstances. Let’s face it, just personality differences alone can make it difficult to work with someone. In today’s piece, we’re going to look at how to find a good real estate agent in Dallas / Fort Worth, so that you can make the best decision in selling your home.
[NOTE: If you need to sell your Dallas / Fort Worth house fast and can’t wait the 3-6 months+ it can take to sell a home on the local market… we may be able to help by buying your house from you directly. We can make you an all-cash offer within 24 hours on your house in as-is condition.]
How To Find A Good Real Estate Agent In Dallas / Fort Worth – Get Reviews… Real Reviews
Online reviews for real estate agents sadly can be easily manipulated, and can often be little more than paid advertisements. It’s important to get honest reviews from any agent that you’re considering, and any reputable agent will be happy to provide you with recent clients that you can talk to and references.
Real reviews are one of the best ways to see how any real estate professional does business out in the local marketplace.
Check out their Google reviews by typing in “[name of agent] reviews” and see what pops up in the Google search. If you see a bunch of bad reviews on websites like yelp and others… see if the agent tried to engage with those negative reviewers online to resolve the situation. Usually you can tell if a one star review is just from a generally unreasonable person who could never be satisfied. If the review actually seems like a legitimate reason someone would be upset, then those are the ones to consider. And seeing how the agent responded to that complaint is huge. If they lash back in an unprofessional manner, then you’ll probably want to steer clear.
They probably haven’t thought much about the keys of what people are looking for in how to find a good real estate agent.
Ask the Right Questions Of The Local Dallas / Fort Worth Real Estate Agent
Ask the agent (or better yet, his or her former clients) the following questions to gauge the agent’s skill, and ability to represent you as a buyer or a seller:
- If talking to a past client: Was there any part of the process of buying or selling a home that the clients were pleased or particularly displeased with?
- What was the asking price?
- And then what was the final sale price?
- If talking to an agent: What properties have you worked with in my location?
- What about similarly sized properties?
- Where and how do you advertise?
- What hours are you available for communication? It’s always good to know this up front in case you’re only available to work on house negotiations etc. after you get off work in the evenings. If your agent is never available to chat with you after 4pm, then you might want to consider an agent who is available when you’re typically available. There are lots of conversations between homeowners and their agents, so make sure you know ahead of time if there are limits on communications.
It’s also important to choose an agent who has experience working with homes similar to yours.
Check The Real Estate Agent’s Credentials
Check with your state’s real estate regulatory authority to verify the agent’s licensing. While you’re on that website, you’re also often able to look into regulatory actions and complaints against the agent.
You should also ask the agent how long they’ve been buying and selling homes. If they’re representing an agency, ask how long they’ve been with that particular agency, and their history with other firms. You’re the one hiring the agent, so you’re in charge of this process. So don’t be afraid to ask questions! You’re the one paying their commission after all.
Above all, it’s important to choose a real estate agent in Dallas / Fort Worth that you can trust. Regular communication is extremely important when selling your home, as in many cases, a house represents the majority of your net worth. A good agent will be able to answer questions such as:
- How many inquiries have been made about my home?
- How many of these inquiries came from people likely to make a purchase that are pre-qualified financially to purchase (not just window shoppers)?
- What other properties in this neighborhood are for sale? What is the asking price of those homes? How many homes have sold recently in my neighborhood and how long were they on the market?
Ask The Local Real Estate Agent How They Plan On Selling Your House
Sometimes going the direct route is the best. In the case of looking for a local Dallas / Fort Worth TX real estate agent, ask them how they intend to sell your house better or differently than other agents in town. And see what their answer is. Some agents are really good at setting themselves apart.
Usually the great ones actually have a marketing plan and will get your house out there and on the market in a big way.
This Is Where Low Priced Isn’t Always The Best
Often times Dallas / Fort Worth TX home sellers want to go with the lowest priced option.
Heck, when you look at the numbers… if a real estate agent is earning 3% on a $100,000 sale… that’s $3,000 in fees just to 1 real estate agent (usually both agents representing the buyer and the seller earn commission)… it isn’t cheap. So you’re usually looking at paying 3-6% in commissions. But just really do your research before you go with a cut rate agent or a flat fee agent… because that usually means that the service you’re getting is also a lower level service as well. It’s really true that you get what you pay for.
Some of the best real estate agents in Dallas / Fort Worth have great marketing systems and are able to sell homes faster and for higher prices. So even if you find someone to sell your house at a 1.5% fee… look long and hard at whether you’ll really be saving money in the long run.
The same goes for selling your house to a local real estate investor like Madison Lea Homes. The highest priced offer isn’t always the best. Look at the terms of the deal the house buyer offers you… and ensure they can close on-time… because every month that goes by costs you money (your mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance, etc.) to hold the property.
It’s important to avoid low-quality real estate agents. These could be “rookies” who will do anything to make their first sale (including leaving dollars on the table). A good real estate can make selling your home an extremely smooth experience, and will work in your best interest from start to finish.
So go out there and do your research and find a local real estate agent.
If you need to sell your house fast… we’d love to make you an all-cash fair offer on your house.
We can make you a no-obligation offer in 24 hours or less, and then you can weigh that option against going with a real estate agent.
Just click the link below and fill out the short form on the next page to get the painless process rolling with Madison Lea Homes.