How to Find the Right Realtor
Whether it's your first time or you're a seasoned pro, buying or selling a home can sometimes feel like an overwhelming process. Financially and emotionally, there are lots of moving parts, big decisions, and usually more than just you or your family involved. Knowing what to look for in your Realtor or real estate team is an important first step in making sure you're surrounded by people with the right expertise—not just in the industry but also in your community, too.
If you're not sure how to find the right partner for this big step in your life, keep reading for our guide.
First, some key terms
Before we get started, here are a few important terms.
What is a Realtor?
A Realtor is a person who has taken the necessary coursework and passed licensing exams to become a member of the National Association of Realtors. Once they're licensed, real estate agents must adhere to their state's code of ethics and standards, too, with rules about how they work with clients, how they handle listings, communicate with buyers, and more. Realtors are required to take continuing education classes to keep their licenses active.
What is a real estate team?
A real estate team is two or more people who are licensed Realtors. They usually have one designated lead agent on each transaction, but it's possible to have more than one agent involved. Some of these relationships are formalized into single companies or other business entities.
Buyer's agent vs. seller's agent
No matter whose name is on the real estate license of each member of the team, Realtors are required to represent your interests first and foremost—that's part of their fiduciary responsibility to you. That means buyers' agents are your advocates, and the sellers' agents are working for the seller's best interests. Traditionally buyers find their own Realtors (like you're doing now by reading this guide online!).
What to look for in a Realtor, real estate agent, or real estate team
Because there are lots of choices in Realtors, real estate agents, and real estate teams, here are some key qualities to keep in mind when you're looking for yours.
Honesty and ethics
The National Association of Realtors' code of ethics gives Realtors a specific set of rules for how they should interact with clients and handle their professional responsibilities overall. For most Realtors, it's not enough to be licensed and take licensing classes; they must also agree to adhere to (and get re-certified in) this code every two years. That means real estate agents have pledged to put your interests first when you're working together on a transaction—including their own, the listing agent involved in the sale of your property, or whoever else might benefit from the sale.
Accessibility
Accessibility might seem obvious, but it's one of the most important qualities to look for in your team. Make sure you feel comfortable with your Realtor or real estate team so that you can reach out with questions before and during the process. Some teams will have different preferences for how you get in touch, from texting or hopping on the phone to emailing back and forth. What you're mostly looking for here is that the team has a track record of responsiveness.
If they're not returning calls quickly—or at all—you might want to consider looking for new representation.
Experience
The more experience someone has with buying and selling homes, the better they typically should be at negotiating and advising you through the process (and probably know an impressive number of shortcuts and tricks along the way). Because markets can vary a lot from city to city, a Realtor that specializes in your neighborhood or community might be worth checking out instead of a more regional team.
Local history or background
Stephanie Reed Real Estate is proud to be the only top real estate group in the Sun Valley area with an entire team that was born or raised in the Wood River community. Having lived in our unique mountain town for so many years, we understand the dynamics of the local market, as well as the best neighborhoods for each of our client's individual needs.
Our team lead, Stephanie Reed, has lived in the Wood River Valley for more than 40 years. She knows the area well and can personally attest to its special quality of life and sense of community. With over four decades of calling the Sun Valley area home, she can help give clients insight into both past and current market trends.
Read more about the rest of our team including their backgrounds, areas of expertise, and long histories living and playing in the Wood River Valley.
Team size and company structure
Although large teams might have the added manpower to be working with many clients at once, some home buyers or sellers might prefer the intimacy of working with an individual or smaller office. We're proud to be a team that can offer a more boutique experience for our clients, while still leveraging our combined expertise to deliver results on their behalf.
Client references and testimonials
Once you've shortlisted a few Realtors or real estate teams, it's always a good idea to reach out for references from former clients or do a deep dive into any publicly-available reviews. We use Google My Business to collect and share client reviews. As of this post's writing, we had fifty 5-star reviews!
In some cases, Realtors or real estate teams will have testimonials on their website that you can use to see what other people say about them and how they work. Although this information can be helpful, these comments are typically curated by the teams themselves and will almost always include only the most glowing reviews, so make sure to keep that in mind while you're doing your research. Google My Business and other review outlets might give you a more complete picture.
Especially if you live in a smaller community like ours, asking around is also a great way to get a sense for a team’s track record and style.
Realtor bios and social media
Besides Google My Business, you can also check out Realtors or real estate teams on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media channels. These profiles can give you a sense of each team's personality and expertise—both in selling homes and helping clients through that process.
You can check our Stephanie Reed Real Estate on Instagram and Facebook.
Conclusion
Hiring the right Realtor or real estate team can make or break your home buying or selling experience. Doing some research early on can help you find an individual or team who's not only qualified but who also has a personality that will mesh well with yours. Your agent is going to be your partner throughout the process, so it's important to make sure you're a good fit from day one.
If you've been thinking about buying or selling a home in the Sun Valley area, we would love to help guide you through the process and be your local experts in the Wood River community. To start a conversation with a member of our team, get in touch!
