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House hunting and selling is a roller coaster experience in and of itself. There are a lot of things to consider before finally making a decision. And while real estate agents make it seem like a walk in the park at times, a ton of work goes into the whole journey. Let's go behind-the-scenes and look at eight essential things your real estate agent wants you to know.
8 Things Your Real Estate Agent Wants You to Know
1. Prioritize your wants, but also be a little flexible.
Real estate agents understand that potential home buyers have budgets to stick to. However, if you have too many requirements that you’re unwilling to be flexible with, it could be more difficult than necessary to find you a home.
It’s helpful to have a priority list, so you’ll easily know what to look for. But also be open to listening to what the agent is pitching and find a compromise. Doing so will help the whole house hunting process be less stressful for you and the agent.
Remember, you might miss out on amazing opportunities if you’re not ready to increase your budget or to let go of some must-haves early on in your search.
2. Location is the most important thing to consider.
If there’s one thing that should be on top of your priority list, it's the location, because it’s one thing that you can’t change. This means you have to know about the different neighborhoods available to you and what each one has to offer.
Consider its proximity to your workplace, parks, restaurants, shops, schools, and even cell service hotspots. You’ll also need to look at the distance and travel time to essential facilities like clinics, community centers, highways, hospitals, police stations, and supermarkets.
Essentially, the location should not only fit your budget but also your lifestyle, needs, and personal goals.
3. We do more than just find your homes to view.
Real estate websites can be informative when house hunting. But agents are an essential part of the process, and without them, finding your next home can be challenging.
We don’t just open doors and guide you during a walkthrough. We spend hours researching listings, studying the neighborhood, negotiating with other agents, coordinating with sellers, setting appointments, fact-checking information, marketing homes, and answering calls, texts, and emails. Some of us even act as our own web developer, accountant, market analyst, and so much more.
In reality, we work with a lot of different people behind the scenes — all at the same time. And that’s because we want to make sure we’re able to help you find what you’re looking for in a home. It's all about making the process as easy on you as possible.
4. If you’re a buyer, you don’t pay us anything.
Most agents work on a commission basis, which means they only get paid when they’re able to close a deal.
If you’re a buyer, you don’t pay us for our time and expertise. Our services are free – even if you still can’t choose after 20 viewings or decide to list elsewhere. With that said, we’re a wealth of information you can utilize at no cost, so there’s no reason for you to house hunt alone.
5. Get your mortgage pre-approval first.
Before you go house hunting, it’s important that you get a pre-approval on your mortgage to get an idea of how much you’re working with.
Lenders pre-approve mortgages for a specific amount, based on your personal, employment, and financial details. Thus, this helps you and your real estate agent to focus on properties you can actually afford, making the process a lot easier. Likewise, it enables you to understand how much you can borrow and should borrow.
More importantly, it makes you more attractive to sellers and gives you competitive advantage over other buyers. It shows that you’re capable of making an offer and you're serious about purchasing. Some sellers don’t entertain offers without a pre-approval letter, so with this in hand, you’re less likely to be withdrawn or rejected due to financing.
6. You won’t always get it right on the first try.
It’s understandable that you’re excited to purchase a house, but keep in mind that it’s likely that you won’t find your dream home on the first walkthrough.
You might visit some homes and not find what you expected. Others might seem perfect but you're just not comfortable with the price tag. It’s totally okay (and normal) to not have all your boxes ticked on your first visit.
For sellers, it’s important to remember that your property might not sell as fast as you want it to. While real estate agents have a good idea how long it takes for their listings to sell (on an average), there are always matters that we can’t predict or control — like the economy, soft market conditions, buyers’ needs, etc.
7. We genuinely care about you and your needs.
Unlike what many might think, real estate agents aren’t all about making sales. We genuinely want to help you achieve your goals and feel beyond thrilled with the end result. Your happiness is our success.
If you’re a seller, you need to be honest with us about any issues with the property. From water and structural damages to mold and plumbing issues, it’s important that you tell us upfront so we’ll know how to properly move forward. This helps us to help you better.
If you’re buying, ask away if there’s anything you’re unsure about. Whether it’s about additional inspections, home features, or the local community, make sure to ask a lot of questions if that helps you feel comfortable about deciding on a house. We’re ready to answer and help simplify your home buying experience.
8. We have personal lives too.
Real estate agents don’t have the typical work schedule, but that doesn’t mean we’re readily available 24/7. We also have personal lives and obligations that we need to attend to. Like other professionals, we need days off and breaks within the day.
That’s why it’s important that you set appointments with your agent. Of course, we’ll want to meet you at your convenience, but we may also be working with a hectic schedule. Thus, having an appointment will ensure that we give you our undivided attention at your allocated time. We will make time for you — we just need to work together on this!
Selling or buying a home is a big step in anyone’s life. Knowing these eight things and having the right real estate agent can help make the process easier and more successful.
At the Brendan King Group, our experienced agents are not just knowledgeable about everything in the Las Vegas real estate world. We’re also intimately familiar with the local market, businesses, and communities that suit your goals and needs. This allows us to give you the experience that you're looking for.
Ready to buy or sell a property? Contact The Brendan King Group today.
