You have listened to good advice and interviewed 3 agents. You’ve looked at all their stats, graphs and awards and you’ve hired the Neighborhood Expert, a Top Producer who Guarantees you’ll love their service or you can fire them. But what do you Really know about them?
Just because you see their face, when they come around every month knocking on doors or they drop great looking flyers on your front stoop or even mail you gardening & recipe postcards, doesn’t necessarily mean they are honest. Just because they’re a go-getter and work hard to get your business, doesn’t mean they’re a great agent. There just might be a reason they have to go out and drum up new business all the time.
Unfortunately, as in most other industries and areas of our lives (government, religion, schools, police, etc.), there are some bad eggs in the real estate industry. We would like to think that the people we sit face to face with, at our kitchen tables, will do what’s best for us and be honest in their handling of our most important assets. Yet all too often this is NOT the case. Greed and the promise of a fast buck have turned many agents bad. Some even get caught in the act, a seen in this report; Good Morning America’s “Caught on Camera”
So how do you protect yourself? Go the extra mile. Take a few more steps to make sure they are who they present themselves to be.
First and foremost, make sure they have the Realtor® designation. Just because some one has passed the state licensing course doesn’t mean they are properly trained and must abide by a high Code of Ethics, like those who have joined the National Association of Realtors. Second, check their license. Most states have a Department of Real Estate or Secretary of State or Bureau of Real Estate (here in Calif. it’s http://www2.dre.ca.gov/PublicASP/pplinfo.asp ), where you can easily check …DO IT! Third, Google them. By that I mean do a little background investigating online. You just might be surprised at what you find. Fourth, call 4-6 of their references…not just 2 and not just email. Lastly, ask friends, family, and/or coworkers for referrals. Selling or buying a house is not an embarrassing proposition, nor does it have to be a big secret. You don’t have to announce it in a company-wide email, yet getting input from someone who just experienced what you’re going through can be invaluable. Using a Realtor with an already proven track record, who comes highly recommended, may be your safest bet.
Client testimonials and license number for this agent are always, PROUDLY displayed at; http://OrangeCountyRealEstates.com
The O. C. Realty Reality 