Identifying a Competent Real Estate Professional

Have you ever gone hiking in the woods in unfamiliar territory?  Having a well marked path allows you to proceed with confidence knowing you’ll arrive at your intended destination without getting lost along the way.

Selling a home and buying your next home can be an exciting experience for anyone.  The sense that you are improving your life for yourself, spouse and family is often the driving force behind making a move.  The process can be complicated and, often, stressful.  Identifying a competent and qualified real estate professional will make the experience of selling your present home and buying your next home enjoyable, and one in which you’ll be able to proceed with confidence.

A good first question to ask yourself is, what qualities in a real estate professional are you looking for?  For most people, experience is most important.  As you research candidates, look for the number of years of full-time work in the real estate business.  Does the agent work only in one area of the Capital Region of New York or, several towns, cities and counties?  Is the agent more of a “listing agent” or a “buyers agent”?  A skilled real estate professional will be proficient in both.  The reason being, when home sellers sell their home, they turn into buyers. 

Client level service is something you’ll want to insist upon.  Having a real estate professional guide and direct you through the process is important.  Yet, you also should expect to have an advocate standing beside you to provide leadership and insight when circumstances require.  Is one on one client service important?  How accessible are they for communication where needed and desired?

What is an agent, broker and Realtor?

The term “agent” seems to be a term that is universally understood to mean several things.  The following explanation is how these terms are defined:

Real Estate Agent:  This is an individual, most likely a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson in New York State, who aids people who buy, sell, rent or otherwise invest in real estate.  They have undergone a 75-hour pre-licensing course, passed a final exam and have affiliated with a sponsoring broker.  Some real estate agents are “single practitioners”, meaning, they are not associated with a real estate team, while others are members of a real estate team.  Their activities are supervised by either a branch level manager or the principal broker.

Real Estate Broker:  In New York State, there are several classifications of “Brokers”.   A real estate broker is someone who has additional education beyond that which is required of a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson.  They can either be an “associate broker” working under the supervision of another broker or a “principal broker”, who typically owns the real estate brokerage.

Realtor:  This is either a licensed real estate salesperson or broker who holds a membership with the National Association of Realtors.  They may, also, hold membership with the New York State Association of Realtors and, perhaps, a local board of Realtors.  This means, in part, the member is bound by a strict code of ethics.

Decide with great care who you choose to represent you.  Remember, for most people, their home represents the most valuable asset they own.  From that point of view, you owe it to yourself and your family to choose a qualified candidate to represent your interests and confidently shepherd you through the purchase or sale of your home. 

If you’d like to get started, click the “let’s talk” button and I’ll contact you at my first opportunity.