Purchasing new property can come with a set of unique challenges and stressors that may prove to be too much for just one individual. It helps to hire an experienced real estate company to help you through each step of the process. As Michigan’s go-to Realtors® , Skrabut Realty is proud to offer unbeatable real estate services to our satisfied customer. Whether you’re selling or buying a house in Oakland County, it pays to have the right people on the job to optimize your entire experience.
While having the perfect person for the job can make or break nearly any project, it’s important to put in the efforts to find the best real estate agent for your unique needs. Today, our local Realtors will continue to look at a few of the many questions that can help you as a buyer to find the best candidate for the job. When you’re ready, be sure to contact Skrabut Realty to begin the questioning process!
What is Your Current Client Load?
It is important to find out (in a respectful way) what your real estate agent’s schedule looks like. If their schedule is too full, chances are high that they will not be available to help you at a moment’s notice. First-time homebuyers will especially have numerous questions and concerns for their buying agent. Buying a home can be stressful, but having an agent that is unresponsive can make the process even more difficult!
Conversely, real estate agents who have too few clients can also be seen as a warning sign. Anyone lacking in customers may be new in the industry, or they may have a number of negative experiences from previous clients. Much of a real estate company’s success relies on word of mouth, so you are generally safe with an agent who has a full workload. Every case is different, though, so it is important to ask on an individualized basis to receive an honest answer.
How Will You Keep Me in the Loop?
Communication is key in the real estate market. While all of our questions correlate to the availability of your agent, how often they choose to communicate with you and the reasons why can make a big difference in your home buying adventure. Your real estate agent should be actively looping you in on a number of updates, from showing appointments to property inspections and beyond. The sheer amount of information involved with buying a house ensures that your agent should be in fairly consistent contact with you at all times. If they do not reach out to clients often, or refuse to communicate via phone, text, or email, be sure to investigate further. If you have a question, or a time-sensitive deadline is coming up, it’s essential to have an agent on the other end that will respond quickly and effectively!
Can You Provide References?
Your interview with the prospective real estate agent will probably mirror a standard job interview, where the individual focuses on all of their positives in order to get the job. As such, it’s important to ask for a list of references in order to task previous clients about the demeanor and effectiveness of the agent. All of our previous questions should be handled by the agent themselves, but if you harbor any doubts, feel free to ask the person referenced once you call them. As we have said before, the real estate industry relies heavily on word of mouth and reputation for getting results. If you receive a list of references, be sure to call a few to confirm the professionalism of the agent in question. Did they respond to questions in a timely format? Was the agent easy to get along with? Did they take the time to answer all of your questions? Contacting references should give you the ability to ask what you need to from a source that is unbiased.
Are You a Certified Realtor?
One interesting aspect in the residential real estate market is the confusion between real estate agents and Realtors. While both work in the same regards to accomplish the same job, Realtors are actually members of the National Association of Realtors®. The main difference here is that Realtors follow the 17 Articles included in their Code of Ethics. This set of rules is strictly enforced by the board, and each rule is set to a high standard for adherence. The first and essentially most important Article states that Realtors will put the best interests of buyers and sellers above their own to ensure the highest level of honesty and satisfaction. It’s important to note that all real estate agents have to be certified in order to buy or sell a home. Skrabut Realty is proud to be your team of local Realtors, providing the most ethical services possible at all times!
While the nine questions we have discussed are important, they make up a small number of the overall considerations that go into purchasing and selling property. If you are thinking about buying a house in Oakland County or the surrounding areas, be sure to reach out to Skrabut Realty. Our professional team is here to optimize your experience and results. With more than 16 years of experience, we’re ready to take on your home buying adventure. Contact us today to learn more about our real estate company!