What to do to find the right real estate agent

Selling a home for the first time can be a complicated and overwhelming process.

Having a reliable real estate agent at your side can make a substantial difference to how smoothly the whole process will run.

With so much riding on choosing the right professional for this task, it can be challenging for a first time seller to know how to select the right agent.

These tips will make this journey a little easier:

Find reliable recommendations
Nothing beats a recommendation from somebody you trust. If nobody within your inner circle has sold recently, then look around to see what agent is selling the most homes in your area.

You’re usually able to tell by their yard signs and marketing presence who does the most business within any given area. Online client reviews and testimonials can also help provide an indication of an agent’s level of service delivery.

Set up an ‘interview’

To make sure you’re a compatible match, it can help to meet the agent in person (or virtually, if you’re coming in from far away).

Before this meeting, an agent might ask for a copy of your ID as a safety precaution – this is totally normal and can actually be an indication that this agent is thorough and well-prepared.

When meeting with them, a few questions worth asking might be:

• Are they a full-time real estate agent?

• How long have they worked as an agent and within this particular market?

• What is their preferred communication platforms and how regularly can you expect updates from them?

• What will they charge in commission and how negotiable are they on this?

Check their credentials

One should always remain vigilant against con artists and make sure that the agent is actually who they claim to be.

Ask them to share a copy of their FFC licence to make sure that they are registered with the PPRA that regulates the industry.

To play it safe, you could also start your search for a real estate agent by looking through the website of a reputable real estate brand. That way you know that the agent comes from a reliable background.