Here are some suggestions on finding the right REALTOR to help you find your NEW CARLSBAD HOME (or for anywhere you may be moving).
Since you are new to buying a home, having a REALTOR you can trust to help you find your new home, and educate you thoroughly about the process, is critical. You will have lots to worry about and coordinate with your move, and working with an agent who does not understand your issues, nor care, is NOT going to be helpful.
1. I recommend working with an agent who is also a REALTOR,not someone who is not. A REALTOR is a real estate professional who is a member in good standing of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and, thereby, adheres to a Code of Ethics. Not ALL agents are Realtors, although many people use the terms interchangeably.
2. If you can, use someone who has been referred to you by someone you know and trust. If you don't have a referral, I recommend first checking the Council of Residential Specialists (CRS) databasefor someone in the area. Why? Well, Realtors with the CRS designation (only about 4% of ALL Realtors in the US have this certification) have to take a series of advanced courses (most are 2-day) on a range of topics relevant to the real estate profession (e.g., seller and buyer strategies, technology, working with referrals, financial issues, marketing, etc.) AND they must meet fairly rigorous production requirements during a given period in order to be certified. So not only do you know they have significant education but they have experience in handling a number of transactions.
Individuals with the GRI designation are also strong professionals. Do not make your decision, however, based only on the certification...nor on the name of the brokerage the Realtor works for. Also consider working with an agent who is an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR), and s/he will have specialized training on working with buyers and representing them, and is committed to that role.
3. If you do not have a recommendation or referral (probably true in most cases), do some research on the REALTOR you are interested in to find out what you can about them - look at their website, find out what professional certifications they have, what services they can offer you, do they work in the area you are moving to (or interested in).
4. Some buyers like to interview the person they are interested in, and you might want to consider talking to several agents before making a decision. (NOTE: If you leave a voice mail about why you are calling and it takes a long time for the agent to return the call, i.e., the next day or worse, I'd be VERY concerned about their responsiveness - not a good sign for the future). You will want to know more about his/her experience, especially in working with first time home buyers, knowledge of the area, and more. But also pay attention to the personal chemistry.
5. It is important to feel a level of comfort in speaking with the person you are interviewing, and a personal chemistry, but that's not all. Do you feel that they are truly interested in helping you? How do you know? What are the specific services they provide first time home buyers? How well do they know the community (ies) you are interested in? What can they tell you about the community as well as the state of the market there - is it a buyer's or a seller's market? Are they willing to screen properties for you, based on YOUR criteria, not just set you up on a website (while it is important that you have access to on-line properties in the area you are moving to, YOU don't know the area and the Realtor should help you screen properties as s/he learns more about what you want and need). Can the Realtor provide you with resources for you to do your OWN research (e.g., schools, crime).
6. Understand their responsiveness (see note above in #4) and their ability and willingness to help you late at night, on the weekend, etc. You will likely have lots of questions and it’s nice to not get frustrated because you can’t talk to the person you are working with. Find out how the agent likes to communicate (email, phone, face to face) but also discuss what works well for you.
- Do they get emails forwarded to their cell phone?
- Can they provide you with all the numbers to reach them quickly if you need to (believe it or not, some agents do not give out their cell phone numbers and expect you to leave voice mail in their office - how often do they check?).
- What about email - just because they HAVE an address does NOT mean they use it, and I know this from personal experience. You both need to agree on the most effective means to communicate and what works best for you.
7. You will want to look at houses, of course, and at times will want to schedule a tour of a number of properties, especially when you are getting started, so you will quickly gain a feel for the market and what is available to you in your price range.
- Find out how your Realtor will handle that. Will they set up an effective and substantial tour of homes and neighborhoods for you?
- Will they show you properties YOU want to see (as well as those that they feel, based on their knowledge, are important for you to see as well)?
- Do they provide an itinerary in advance?
- Do they keep you posted on any changes (e.g., the home you fell in love with on-line and planned to see now has an accepted offer)?
- Are they comfortable and willing to make last minute changes based on your schedule, change in the housing that is available, ruling out areas you find you don't like, etc. so you don't waste time?
8. You should also take time to visit open houses in your own – the more you see the better you will understand the market. Find out if your agent would like to accompany you and how to stay in touch about the properties you see (especially those you like). Once you are committed to working with someone, ask them how they should handle open houses, since the agent at the open house will almost always ask you if you are working with someone. Having a stack of your agent’s business cards is a good idea.
9. Make sure you and the agent you decide on discuss Buyer Agency. Will the agent represent you as a buyer client (like having an attorney) or not? What does this mean to you (ask about confidentiality and assistance with developing an offer strategy).
Are you going to be relocating and buying your first home in Carlsbad (or nearby)? Check out Relocation A to Z for lots of information about the entire process.
Need help figuring out what to buy? You can visit my website and download a form entitled "What's Important to You." It may help you get a good handle on what you really want in a home.
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If I can provide more information about this are or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360
or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
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