Tips to select the right real estate agent to buy a house

Property purchase is a big project and the real estate agent is a critical part of that

process unless in the original allotment you purchase directly from the builder. India’s

real estate market is an environment where misinformation and mis-selling are

common, and it is therefore important that you choose a good real estate agent to help

you buy a house. In real estate, there is a misconception that property agents are

often agents of the seller. This isn’t real. Good agents can help customers get an

opportunity to get an excellent property deal. In this blog, we will discuss a few tips in

selecting the right real estate agent for you.

Do your own research: Many real estate agents are excellent at making sales

presentations that are impressive. But property buyers should note that in the real

estate industry, misinformation is very common. You will learn from your agent how

property prices are escalating so rapidly in the neighborhood you are interested in, and

you will have to pay a much higher price unless you purchase immediately. You will be

told about future residential and commercial developments near your property that you

want to sell. Don’t simply listen or depend on a single agent. You will get multiple

perspectives when you speak with a number of agents. Doing your own research will

help you with the knowledge to protect yourself against mis-selling and

misinformation.

Look for Passion, Honesty, and credentials of your agent: Look at the work of

the agent. The simplest and most useful way is to study how the other properties are

being advertised. Look at their website, brochures, and listed properties. Pay attention

to their appearance personally and look for enthusiasm, conviction, and dignity. You

want your agent to tell you what it would take to sell your home more easily and at the

best price. If there is a website for your agent, you can go through the same one. A

website also provides you with a lot of data about the credibility of the agent.

Check the license of your agent: You should search for your agent’s license. If there

have been complaints or disciplinary proceedings against the agent, you can also check

with the relevant authority. This is a significant move that is overlooked by many

buyers of property. If you run into issues with your property, verifying your real estate

agent’s license and holding a copy for your future reference will give you recourse to

complain if any problem arises after the deal.

Be aware of the agent who delays scheduling a meeting with the seller face to

face: Before finalizing the contract, it is very important that you meet with the seller

face to face. You could be at the risk of being tricked if you do not reach the seller. You

should demand that your agent schedule a meeting with the seller face to face. It is

reasonable if the meeting is postponed because of valid calendar differences. However,

something could be wrong if your agent avoids setting up a meeting or if the planned

meeting is postponed a number of times without appropriate explanations. Even if you

and the seller live in separate cities, you can meet with the seller to close the deal

properly, and not be rushed by your agent.

Find out who your agent is working for: A property purchase is a transaction

between two parties, the buyer and the seller. The transaction between the two parties

is conducted by the real estate agent. At the highest price, the seller wants to sell and

the buyer wants to purchase at the lowest price. But for the agent, what is the driving

factor? If your agent already works for the seller, then it could be his motivation to

convince you that the house price is better, so that he can get a higher fee. Therefore,

it is important to find out who your agent is working for. Maybe you’ll ask the agent.

But if you think you’re not going to get an honest response, then you can ask the seller

who his or her agent is, too. As home buyers, we can often assume that the real estate

agent is often motivated to sell the property to you at a higher price. This isn’t always

true, however. As a customer, after all, if the price is too high, you can always walk

away from a deal. It is, therefore, in the best interests of your agent to get the deal

done to your satisfaction.

Find our agent’s fees: It is very important that you address and negotiates the fee of

your agent in advance, in order to eventually avoid conflicts. You should be very

specific about your agent’s fees upfront.

While experience and skills are valuable, your agent needs to understand your

expectations, so find one who does.