The real estate market does not make it easy to buy or sell a home in Sarasota these days. Sure it is a buyers market, but unfortunately, banks aren't so quick to lend money...at least not how they used to. And, most of the homes on the market in Sarasota are "short sales" so buyers may be forced to wait around several months before even hearing a response from the bank ...and that answer might actually be "no". Imagine finding your dream house, putting in an offer, having your heart set on purchasing the home only to find out several months later that the bank does not accept your offer. Unfortunately, that is the reality when working with short sales. On the other hand, selling Sarasota real estate today is no walk in the park either. The truth is the supply is just much greater than the demand which will continue to keep prices low for quite a while. Selling your home goes far beyond simply placing a "for sale" sign in your lawn or placing your home in the classified ads. Thus, whether you are buying or selling a home in Sarasota, having a Sarasota real estate agent to help you out is vital when looking for a smooth deal.
However, with so many real estate agents out there, how does one choose the right person? Here's 7 points to consider when picking a Sarasota real estate agent.
1. Conduct Interviews
The best way to get to know a real estate agent is by speaking with them personally. You could discuss what they think about a specific property, discuss their qualifications, inquire about their previous dealings, any difficulties they've had with prior deals, and find out if their personality would be able to match yours. Don't forget, whether you are buying or selling a house the chances are you will spend a fair amount of time with your real estate agent so it's best that you get along. You could also tell the Realtor what kind of communication you are expecting and if he or she will be able to reciprocate that expectation.
2. Qualifications
Always look into the real estate agent's qualifications. Does the person have sufficient experience and knowledge, particularly in your region? They may have an outstanding record in other areas, but if they have minimal knowledge in your location they will not be any help to you at all.
3. Referrals
Ask your friends and family if they could recommend somebody. Ask them for information regarding their experience with their Realtor. Keep in mind, nobody knows you better than your friends and family and their is no one you can trust more with their recommendation.
4. Customer Service
A real estate agent should be easy to contact and talk to...especially with the technology we have today. Also, real estate agents should be willing to work weekends. Sure everyone is allowed their days off and everyone needs to be able to spend time with their family, but the fact is a Realtor's job involves working on the weekends so make certain your real estate agent is willing to do so. An agent's customer service is a reflection of how professional they are and how seriously they take the job.
5. Familiarity with the Area
This is a critical point when selecting a Sarasota real estate agent. The agent that you pick should know about the market in the area where you are buying or selling your property. The agent should have first hand understanding of the competition in the area, the local schools and community, and of course, the price range.
6. Use of Tools and Technology
Nowadays your Sarasota real estate agent must do more than just put your property in the Mid-Florida MLS. Today's Realtor should list your house in all the other real estate sites like Realtor.com, Craigslist, Zillow, Trulia, Oodle and many others. Also, today's Realtor should be familiar with using YouTube and other top video websites as well as social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
7. Willingness to Hold Open Houses
Alright, the truth is a house is very rarely ever sold by way of an open house. Therefore, it is not necessary for your real estate agent to do an open house every Saturday and Sunday on every weekend. Nevertheless, open houses do remind the community that your home is for sale so an open house every so often is obviously a good thing.
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