There are so many ways to find a real estate agent – and we’ve heard them all! You could go with your best friend’s cousin’s new girlfriend, who just got her real estate license. Or, your parent’s long-time agent, who’s a whiz in the suburbs. And there’s always the classic option of calling the agent who advertises on the bus bench you drive by every day.
What’s so wrong with these options?
Your friend is a trustworthy source. Good people recommend good people. And all good guys date quality women. Ergo, your best friend’s cousin’s new girlfriend should be a great Realtor®. Whaaat? Exactly. She may be a nice person, and she may even be a good (if inexperienced) agent. But is she right for you?
What about that agent your parents love? Maybe they love him, but will you? Will their agent understand why you want to be within walking distance of your favourite restaurants? Does he know the nuances of the downtown condo market, even though he mostly works in the suburbs? If he doesn’t do a good job (let alone an exceptional one), will you fire him? Awkward!! You see where we’re going with this ……
And then there’s the bus bench. It only costs about $150/month to advertise on a transit bench. You don’t have to be wildly successful to afford that monthly cost. That’s why bus benches don’t really speak to an agent’s track record.
Where does all of this leave YOU, the bewildered home buyer or seller? The best fit is personal. It’s about that person who gets you – and can get you a great deal. Finding the right agent on your own is going to take some work. Typically, people only do this once every 5-10 years, so it’s difficult to become an expert.
Finding the right match is critical to the success of your real estate goals. And Agents of Change is here to help. In our future blog posts, we’ll offer up everything we know on the subject of matching. If you still want to do it yourself, at least you’ll be better equipped. Or if you’d rather leave the job to us, we’ll find you a great match for FREE. Problem solved!
Agents of Change is a certified B Corp that matches clients with their ideal real estate agent – for free. We use cutting-edge, machine-learning technology – with a human touch. Our process produces the happiest real estate clients on earth (at least that’s what they tell us)! Once the transaction closes, we contribute 50% of our referral fee (on average, about $1.500) towards innovative housing solutions. Get a better agent, a better experience, and a better community through Agents of Change. AgentsOfChangePartners.com
Thanks for all the great advice to find the best real estate agent. I love that you mentioned that my family and friends may love a real estate agent, but I may not, so I need to look beyond referrals. Your idea to dig deeper and not just go with the first real estate agent on the bus sign either is a great starting point to find the best agent to sell my home. I’ve lived in my home for over 5 years and I need a change desperately, so thanks again.
Great post with a lot of information. I agree that finding a real estate agent that is right for you is the most important thing. Even if you parents or you cousin love him or her you might not love them. There is nothing wrong with shopping around for a real estate agent until you find someone you are comfortable with. Although recommendations are a great place to start they are not your only option! Thanks for sharing!
I love the tips you have for finding a good real estate agent. My wife and I want to find an agent to help us buy our first house, so we needed this. We’ll be sure to not pay attention to bus benches, for sure! Even things like TV advertisements are probably the same thing, right?
Thank you for sharing the article. It’s very useful. Hope to hear more from you.
Thank you Agents of Change. These are excellent tips for finding the perfect real estate agent.
I’ve been wanting to start looking for a good real estate agent, but I’m not really sure where to start. I’m glad you talked about being able to find the right match being critical to the success we’ll have. I hadn’t realized how important it was for us to find one, so we’ll have to put more effort into finding real estate agents!
And then there’s the bus bench.