{"id":1744,"date":"2022-05-31T10:48:33","date_gmt":"2022-05-31T17:48:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=1744"},"modified":"2022-06-07T14:27:22","modified_gmt":"2022-06-07T21:27:22","slug":"how-to-pick-a-real-estate-agent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-to-pick-a-real-estate-agent\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Pick a Real Estate Agent Who\u2019s Right for You"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>According to the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), there are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-many-realtors-in-the-us\/\">over 3 million<\/a> real estate agents with active licenses in the United States, so how do you find a great one? Finding the right real estate agent to sell your biggest investment can feel like a crapshoot if you don&#8217;t know what to look for. We dug into the research and spoke with top agent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/agents\/miranda-biedenharn-oh-2004018557\">Miranda Biedenharn<\/a> from Dayton, Ohio, for expert advice and actionable tips on how to pick a real estate agent committed to your best interests.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--1\" data-toc-header=\"What makes a great agent\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>What makes a great agent<\/h2>\n<p>With all the agents working in the business, how can you find a great one? Biedenharn, a top agent who works with over 76% more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-what-is-a-single-family-home\/\">single-family homes<\/a> than the average Dayton agent explains \u201cWe all have the same toolbox to navigate the process; [what makes a great agent] is how they manipulate the tools to work in your best interest.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Biedenharn believes the following agent qualities can help sellers get over the top [in a real estate deal]:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Communication level<\/li>\n<li>Connectedness to other agents in the area<\/li>\n<li>Level of expertise<\/li>\n<li>Education level, such as additional certifications<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"section--2\" data-toc-header=\"What makes a top agent\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>What makes a top agent<\/h2>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/find-real-estate-agents\">top agent<\/a> is a real estate agent or Realtor\u00ae who has earned recognition for being a top producer. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/top-producers-real-estate\/\">Top producers <\/a>can earn their status from organizations that rank real estate agents such as real estate associations, trade organizations, media outlets, and real estate technology companies such as HomeLight based on analyzing the following metrics:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-many-homes-does-a-realtor-sell-a-year\/\"><b>Sales volume<\/b><\/a><b>: <\/b>total price of homes sold in a given year<\/li>\n<li><b>Units sold: <\/b>number of properties sold annually<\/li>\n<li><b>Days on market: <\/b>how many days the home stayed on the market<\/li>\n<li><b>Transaction sides: <\/b>number of\u00a0 buyer or seller side transactions<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/real-estate-agent-commissions\"><b>Gross commissions<\/b><\/a><b>:<\/b> earned commissions before payouts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"geo-cta widget-cta widget-cta--content     widget-cta--dark widget-cta--dark-blue-gradient\">\n    <div class=\"widget-element--content\">\n        <div class=\"widget-element--content-header\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"homelight logo\" class=\"widget-element--logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/ccprototypev5\/images\/logo-small-cta.png\" width=\"106\" height=\"25\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n        \n                <h3 class=\"cta-headline widget--bold\">Connect with a Top Agent<\/h3>\n                        <p>Our data shows the top 5% of agents across the U.S. help clients sell their home for as much as 10% more than the average real estate agent. It takes just two minutes to match clients with the best real estate agents, who will contact you and guide you through the process.<\/p>\n        \n                <div class=\"widget-element--buttons\">\n            <a data-type=\"In Content CTA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/find-agent\/quiz\/seller?#\/qaas=0\/\" class=\"cta-click-track widget-element--button\">Find Agent<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"section--3\" data-toc-header=\"Knows the local area\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Knows the local area<\/h3>\n<p>A great agent has hyperlocal experience in the neighborhoods where they sell properties. They\u2019re aware of the best schools, crime statistics, and the prices homes are selling for block to block. They also know the selling price of homes in your community versus the community around the corner.<\/p>\n<p>They have the knowledge of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-do-i-find-a-good-real-estate-agent\/\">amenities in your specific neighborhood<\/a> that are in high in-demand such as built-in pools and large backyards in family-friendly suburbs, which are key bits of information for attracting buyers.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--4\" data-toc-header=\"Suggests upgrades that increase home value\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Suggests upgrades that increase home value<\/h3>\n<p>Buyers will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/real-estate-top-agent-insights-for-new-year-2022\/\">pay 7% more<\/a> for homes with better curb appeal, according to HomeLight\u2019s survey, <i>Top Agent Insights for New Year 2022<\/i>. An experienced agent knows that improving basic yard care will bring a 539% ROI and increase home value by $4,500 on average \u2014 and giving a tired exterior a fresh coat of paint will cost around $3,000 but will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-upgrades-increase-home-value\/\">boost resale value by an average of $7,500<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For the interior, good agents recommend inexpensive upgrades that appeal to buyers such as swapping outdated fixtures and hardware for more modern lighting, kitchen and bathroom faucets, and cabinet pulls and knobs.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--5\" data-toc-header=\"Connects sellers with local professionals\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Connects sellers with local professionals<\/h3>\n<p>Whether your house needs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/add-value\/home-improvement\/\">home improvements<\/a> such as repainting, a new garage door, a new bathroom fixture, a good power washing \u2014 or your driveway paved and your landscaping improved \u2014 a good agent has a network of contacts in their address book they can recommend. These can include contractors, plumbers, handypersons, deep cleaning professionals, home organizers, stagers, and many more home professionals to get your home in pristine condition and good repair.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--6\" data-toc-header=\"Plans a winning marketing strategy\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Plans a winning marketing strategy<\/h3>\n<p>Expert agents have a collection of proven marketing strategies and sales techniques in their toolbox. They advertise on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/multiple-listing-service\/\">Multiple Listing Service (MLS)<\/a>, the largest database of real estate listings nationwide, and also post their clients\u2019 listings on real estate websites, social media, and other advertising outlets.<\/p>\n<p>Key marketing strategies top agents recommend to sell homes faster and at higher price points include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pixpa.com\/blog\/real-estate-photography\">Taking professional photos<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/staging-a-house-while-living-in-it\/\">Decluttering and deep cleaning<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/attract-buyers\/staging\/\">Staging a home for a quick sale<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-to-market-your-house\/\">Writing enticing listing descriptions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/best-paint-colors-for-selling-a-house\/\">Recommending paint colors that sell houses<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"section--7\" data-toc-header=\"Negotiates real estate deals with skill and grace\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Negotiates real estate deals with skill and grace<\/h3>\n<p>One of the biggest ways an expert agent can help a seller is by negotiating a real estate deal. An experienced agent who knows the market \u201chas that knowledge that you don\u2019t have as a seller,\u201d says Biedenharn.<\/p>\n<p>As an example, a buyer can offer a seller their asking price and try to work <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-closing-costs-for-buyer\/\">closing costs<\/a> into the deal. But an agent who knows we\u2019re in a seller\u2019s market will turn around and tell the seller that I won\u2019t let you pay a penny of the buyer\u2019s closing costs. Instead, they can offer the buyer furniture that caught their eye that the seller plans on replacing when they move\u2013\u2013for instance, the dining set and living room sofa.<\/p>\n<p>As another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-to-negotiate-when-selling-a-house\/\">negotiation strategy<\/a> in a seller\u2019s market, an adept agent can work an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-often-do-home-appraisals-come-in-low\/\">appraisal gap guarantee<\/a> into the deal if a buyer plans to finance the home purchase. This protects the seller by having the buyer pay the difference between the purchase price and the appraised value if the home appraisal comes out too low.<\/p>\n<section class=\"building-block bb-type-default bb-agent-quote bg-none\" id=\"bb-1\"><div class=\"body block\"><div class=\"container-fluid\"><div class=\"block-content\">            <blockquote class=\"post-blockquote\">\n                <q><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clients need to prioritize where they\u2019re at in the process of selling their homes, knowing exactly what it is they\u2019re looking for so when they get with an agent they can make the best decision about who\u2019s the best fit for them.<\/span><\/q>\n                                    <div class=\"contributors\">\n                        <ul class=\"list\">\n                            <li>\n                                <div class=\"inner\">\n                                    <div class=\"opener\">\n                                        <div class=\"avatar\">\n                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.homelight.com\/uploads\/agent\/picture\/3322435\/8e9ce12a-b067-4883-b14c-fdb81be7d394.jpg?width=121\" alt=\"Miranda Biedenharn\">\n                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"info\">\n                                            <strong>Miranda Biedenharn<\/strong>\n                                            <span>Real Estate Agent<\/span>\n                                        <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n\n                                    <div class=\"contributors-detail-modal\">\n                                        <div class=\"holder\">\n                                            <a href=\"#\" class=\"icon-close close\">\n                                                <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close<\/span>\n                                            <\/a>\n                                            <div class=\"top\">\n                                                <div class=\"avatar\">\n                                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.homelight.com\/uploads\/agent\/picture\/3322435\/8e9ce12a-b067-4883-b14c-fdb81be7d394.jpg?width=121\" alt=\"Miranda Biedenharn\">\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <div class=\"info\">\n                                                    <strong>Miranda Biedenharn<\/strong>\n                                                                                                            <span>Real Estate Agent at Comey & Shepherd Realtors<\/span>\n                                                                                                        <div class=\"rating\">\n                                                                                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                                            <span class=\"note\">Currently accepting new clients<\/span>\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                            <div class=\"btm\">\n                                                    <ul class=\"exp-list inline-list\">\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Years of Experience<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>22<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Transactions<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>455<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Average Price Point<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>$130k<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Single Family Homes<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>405<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                            <\/ul>\n                                                <\/div>\n                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n                            <\/li>\n                        <\/ul>\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/blockquote>\n        <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<div id=\"section--8\" data-toc-header=\"How to pick a real estate agent\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>How to pick a real estate agent<\/h2>\n<div id=\"section--9\" data-toc-header=\"Know your selling goals\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Know your selling goals<\/h3>\n<p>The first step in picking a real estate agent is to know your selling goals. \u201cClients need to prioritize where they\u2019re at in the process of selling their homes, knowing exactly what it is they\u2019re looking for so when they get with an agent they can make the best decision about who\u2019s the best fit for them,\u201d says Biedenharn.<\/p>\n<p>Sellers can look to real estate agents for input such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/occupancy-date\/\">negotiating the occupancy date<\/a> into the contract that works for them (that Biedenharn says is a big one in this market). Finding an agent who suggests putting an extra week into the contract for you to have to move out \u2014 instead of the day following closing \u2014 might make you realize they\u2019re a professional who has your best interests in mind.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--10\" data-toc-header=\"Ask agents about their specializations\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Ask agents about their specializations<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-to-choose-a-real-estate-agent-for-selling\/\">Specialists in the real estate industry<\/a> receive training and certifications that make them more qualified than an agent without that credential.<\/p>\n<p>A few real estate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/education\/designations-and-certifications\">specializations<\/a> include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/education\/designations-and-certifications\/seller-representative-specialist-srs\">Seller Representative Specialist (SRS): <\/a>a two-day course designed to enhance selling performance and professional standards<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/real-estate-broker-vs-agent\/\">Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)<\/a>: 16 to 30 hours of education plus annual continuing education<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/military-relocation-professional\/\">Military Relocation Professional<\/a> (MRP): a one-day course and webinar designed to address military relocation, timelines, and stressors<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/education\/designations-and-certifications\/seniors-real-estate-specialist-sres\">Seniors Real Estate Specialist<\/a> (SRES): a two-day training focusing on housing options in age-restricted communities, the use of pensions and retirement in real estate transactions, and how to protect clients from loan fraud<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"section--11\" data-toc-header=\"Verify agent track records\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Verify agent track records<\/h3>\n<p>A good agent should not make you work to learn about their [sales history],\u201d says Biedenharn. \u201cThey should bring it to the table for you. She says, \u201cthat would be something I would look for as a client, how prepared [that agent is] to respond, and to back it up with some kind of data.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I wanted to research an agent\u2019s sales data, I would look on real estate websites to see if agents have logged in their sales data.\u201d\u00a0 Biedenharn says, \u201cReal List is one of them and RPR is probably another one that clients can get into as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Biedenhard says you can also find sales information about agents on county record websites. \u201cSome counties log the agent\u2019s information as far as being affiliated with that sale.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--12\" data-toc-header=\"Check online reviews\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Check online reviews<\/h3>\n<p>Reviews are going to be another big one, says Biedenharn.\u00a0 \u201cI would say most agents are putting their reviews either in Google and [real estate websites].\u201d One, for example is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/testimonials?utm_content=8384527587_89560060767_c_p__9003678__439721578051&amp;utm_campaign=8384527587&amp;%7Bremtag%7D&amp;Cj0KCQjwg_iTBhDrARIsAD3Ib5jpM13ijhA0ChaqUucMmS4eA-LGZHlRA8hUBk05aJ9ET6YTADWrUgIaAoxoEALw_wcB&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_term=homelight%20reviews&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwg_iTBhDrARIsAD3Ib5jpM13ijhA0ChaqUucMmS4eA-LGZHlRA8hUBk05aJ9ET6YTADWrUgIaAoxoEALw_wcB\">HomeLight\u2019s customer reviews<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re going to find your best reviews on these pages because they come <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/testimonials\">directly from the clients<\/a> versus potentially some third party.\u201d Make sure to check the agent\u2019s local market experience, sales records, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/days-on-market-matters\/\">days on market<\/a> data.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--13\" data-toc-header=\"Get referrals from people you know\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Get referrals from people you know<\/h3>\n<p>Another way to find real estate agents is to ask the people you know. If you have friends who have sold their house recently and had a great experience, see if they can make an introduction to their real estate agent. Other sources include your neighbors, family members, and local merchants you chat with at the stores you frequent.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--14\" data-toc-header=\"Interview at least three agents\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Interview at least three agents<\/h3>\n<p>An interview provides the perfect opportunity to \u201ctalk to different agents and interview those folks about their knowledge base, share your ultimate goals, and then decide who in your gut sounds like they know what they\u2019re doing and not just blowing smoke at you,\u201d explains Biedenharn. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/questions-to-ask-a-real-estate-agent\/\">Asking questions<\/a> also lets you get a sense of each real estate agent\u2019s style.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--15\" data-toc-header=\"Ask the following questions\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Ask the following questions<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>How long have you been in the business?<\/li>\n<li>What sets you apart from other agents?<\/li>\n<li>Do you have any specializations or certifications?<\/li>\n<li>What is your rank amongst your colleagues in the area?<\/li>\n<li>How many homes have you sold in my area in the past year?<\/li>\n<li>How do you plan to market my home?<\/li>\n<li>How do you plan on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/for-agents\/grow-business\/technology\/\">leveraging different technology<\/a> like electronic signatures and mobile notaries if I\u2019m out of the area?<\/li>\n<li>What are the average days on market for your listings?<\/li>\n<li>How many homes have you sold in my price range?<\/li>\n<li>Can you provide me with a referral list?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div id=\"section--16\" data-toc-header=\"Find the right seller-agent match\" data-toc-type=\"sub\"><\/div>\n<h3>Find the right seller-agent match<\/h3>\n<p>By now you\u2019ve spoken to a few real estate agents, read the testimonials, asked questions, and learned whether they\u2019ve sold homes in your area in recent months. However, you also have a sense of their level of preparedness and their personality style.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think the most important thing is the preparedness they come to you with, the level of patience that they have with you and they don\u2019t push you in any particular way that is not necessarily in your best interest,\u201d says Biedenharn.<\/p>\n<p>Biedenharn also recommends looking at what your particular comfort level is with that person. \u201cBecause it\u2019s going to be a rollercoaster of a deal; something always comes up in a deal,&#8221; she says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou have to feel like you can trust your agent at the end of the day, like they have your best intentions in mind, and that they have the expertise and the heart to get you through that transaction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Header Image Source: (Dillon Kydd \/ Unsplash)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your real estate agent will make or break your sale. Put these tactics for how to pick a real estate agent to use to find a great one for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":319,"featured_media":31773,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[321,238],"tags":[491,201],"class_list":["post-1744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attract-buyers","category-working-with-agents","tag-basics","tag-faq"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How To Pick a Real Estate Agent Who\u2019s Right for You<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Your real estate agent will make or break your sale. 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Put these tactics for how to pick a real estate agent to use to find a great one for you.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-to-pick-a-real-estate-agent\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HomeLight Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-05-31T17:48:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-06-07T21:27:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/hl-blog.homelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/how-to-pick-a-real-estate-agent-3.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Stacy Sare Cohen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Stacy Sare Cohen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Stacy Sare Cohen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How To Pick a Real Estate Agent Who\u2019s Right for You","description":"Your real estate agent will make or break your sale. 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