Selecting an Agent

It's YOUR choice. You have the potential to be represented by a great Agent, by a mediocre one, or in the worst case scenario - by an incompetent or unscrupulous agent (they unfortunately do exist). To know who to hire, you have to know how to tell the difference!

One hallmark of a high quality Real Estate Agent (aka a Real Estate Consultant) is that they believe that the best way to maximize a client's real estate outcome is by growing the client's level of real estate knowledge. Only a professional and dedicated agent will take the time to assist and urge you to become fully informed about the process of buying and/or selling, and to keep you abreast of the nature of the real estate market in your area, and in general.

Great Agents will answer all of your questions, clearly, and with confidence - and if they don't know the answer, they will admit it (no one knows everything!), and get back to you after they have researched and found you the answer! Great Agents work diligently to ensure that your interests in a real estate transaction are first and foremost -- even if that means having to work longer and harder for you for the same money!

Great Agents are innovators - they aren't afraid to take the road less travelled, they are proud to stand out, and they have focus. They zero in on what works, and they use it to their clients' advantage. They adapt their strategies to changing markets and changing times.

By contrast, a mediocre agent generally "follows the flock", doesn't stand out in any way, and follows a generic set of steps that are prescribed for a 'typical' home buyer/seller. They provide only an 'average' (and sometimes below average) level of service, and often don't have a true understanding of the current market conditions, nor of the myriad of home search and selling tools that are available. Mediocre Agents can get by somewhat undetected in a hot Real Estate market, but in a tough market, they start to stand out like a sore thumb because they leave their clients hanging.

Great Agents realize that the only way to truly serve a client is through having an in depth understanding of the client's needs, since each situation is personal and specific! A Real Estate Consultant will ask you for a LOT of information as part of your "needs analysis" to ensure that they can tailor their services to help you achieve your individual goals. Real estate decisions can be stressful and even life altering for many clients, and so Consultants strive to understand ALL of your real estate needs: past, present and future! And a great Agent understands that your real estate needs don't end at the end of your "transaction". They work to keep you informed in real estate matters even after you buy or sell your home. It's quite common for mediocre agents to 'disappear' as soon as they collect the commission for your transaction -- some even start to fall off the face of the earth after a home goes under contract! Don't settle for a mediocre agent, when the service of a GREAT agent -- a true Real Estate Consultant -- is what you deserve!