Buying a new home is one of the biggest steps you can make in life. Finding a good realtor is an essential thing to do before starting your Orlando FL property search.
This person will help guide you through the entire process and help you make the right choice.
Here are some important questions to ask when shopping for a real estate agent:
1. What’s Your Availability?
Things can move pretty fast in the real estate market. It is important that you are able to get a hold of your agent if a house you are interested in hits the market or if you have any burning questions.
You want someone who considers real estate a full-time job and understands how urgent things like a checking out a new home listing can be.
2. How Long Have You Been in the Business?
While there is something to be said about the enthusiasm of a new agent, you want to work with someone with years of experience behind them.
If you meet someone who is relatively new but still want to work with them, ask them if they work with a broker or other more experienced agent.
3. Are You Part of a Real Estate Team?
Ideally, your realtor will be there to handle all of your needs. The reality is that they have other clients and lives of their own, however.
If your real estate agent is part of a team, there may be someone else to step-in if you need something done last minute, such as seeing a new home listing.
4. How Many Clients do you Currently Have?
While having no other clients would certainly be a bad sign, you do not want to work with someone with too much on their plate.
You need someone that has enough time to make you a priority.
5. How Many Homes Have You Helped Buyers Close Recently?
While a realtor may be happy to tell you how many people they have worked with, it is much more important to know how many homes they have helped close.
Although anyone can show you one, there is a lot more that goes into helping you to actually buy a home.
6. How Long Does it Take Your Clients to Buy a Home?
Although no two clients are the same, it is still worthwhile to ask how long your realtor takes to get buyers into homes. It usually takes buyers anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months to find a home they want to buy.
Then, escrow is generally 30-45 days. These numbers can vary greatly in your area. Be sure that your agent is in as big of a hurry to make you a homeowner as you are.
7. What Kind of Network Do You Have?
Once you are in your home, your realtor should still be a valuable resource. They will know:
- Good Contractors
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Mortgage Brokers
Additionally, they should be able to answer general questions such as how soon can you refinance and who to contact about title questions.
8. How Much Do You Charge?
Realtors make money when a house sells, whether they were representing the seller, buyer, or both.
The agents representing both parties will take home a percentage of the sale price. The percent can vary but is typically between 1 and 4.
8. What is Your Strategy for Finding My New Home?
This question allows any potential realtor to tell you what sets them apart. They should make it clear that they understand your needs and let you know how the handle competing bids.
You can ask them how many homes they think you will need to see before you find the perfect one.
9. How Will We Keep in Touch During this Process?
Most people have a communication preference – either phone calls, emails, or texts. It is important that your realtor is open to communicating the way that works best for you.
You can also ask how often you can expect to hear from them. Until you have signed closing papers, you should hear from your agent very frequently.
