Finding the Right College Station Realtor

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Finding the Right College Station Realtor

Finding a realtor can make your life considerably easier when it comes to either buying or selling your College Station home. But how do you find the right one? Buying and selling your home is an important step, and the real estate professional you choose to help you through it should be someone experienced and committed to helping you get the best deal. With so many realtors in College Station, the search might seem daunting, but if you use these steps, you can be sure that you’ve made the best choice.

Listen to What Past Clients Have to Say

For real estate professionals, reputation is everything. Even if you’re just moving into College Station and haven’t heard much in the way of word-of-mouth, you can get a sense of a realtor’s reputation by looking up online reviews. Anything from Facebook to Yelp to industry specific sites like Zillow can offer reviews from past clients that give you an idea of what to expect.

Look at the reviews on the whole. There’s always a chance that one person might have given 5 stars where they weren’t deserved or given 2 stars over an issue that was blown out of proportion. However, if the majority of past clients weren’t satisfied with the job, that should be a red flag. Pay attention to the content of the reviews, as well. What did the customer actually have to say about the job and what claims do you see most consistently?

Check their Licensing

Different states offer different licenses for realtors in their area. In Texas, realtors take courses to judge their expertise before acquiring their license. You can search for a realtor on the Texas Real Estate Commission website. This will allow you to confirm that they are, in fact, licensed. If not, don’t bother. Anyone without a license is a real estate fraud. However, just because a realtor is licensed doesn’t mean they’re qualified to help you. Looking up their license will also allow you to see if any disciplinary actions have been taken against them, and how long they’ve been licensed in the area. These are both important considerations in choosing a realtor.

Talk to Them

Once you’ve researched the realtor, the best way to find out if they’re the right realtor for you is to talk to them. Call them to schedule a consultation. Form a list of questions to ask them about their work or about the current market. Sit down with them and talk before you make any decisions to hire. All the internet research in the world doesn’t hold a candle after all to real interaction. If they’re able to competently answer all your questions and they leave you feeling confident at the end of the consultation, hire them. If not, it’s time to look elsewhere.

Finding the right realtor is essential when it comes to buying and selling your home. You should find someone who knows College Station and the current market well through years of experience. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone to schedule a consultation so you can make an informed decision.