I received a text from a good friend and neighbor…”Wondering if you have a top five checklist of what to look for in a real estate agent to know that you’re getting the varsity team versus the JV. In other words, what value does a real estate agent have to me?”

He and his wife have been on vacation looking at houses in a city they want to relocate to, houses they found by themselves online. Looking unrepresented without an agent! I called immediately and thanked him for giving me my next blog post.

Here’s what I said…

#1 The ability to make a persuasive and compelling case for working exclusively together.

AKA a point of differentiation. How have they earned the right to have you as a client for life? If they can’t sell themselves and their value to you, they will not be able to sell you and your offer to potential sellers.

#2 The ability to clearly and simply explain the home buying process in today’s unique market.

#3 A demonstration of their systems. 

Plus an introduction to their team members who will get you from search to showings to contract and through inspection and appraisal and funding to closing and to moving in with the least amount of problems.

#4 A set of core values that are consistent with yours.

Here’s a real-life example.

To always live by the ‘Get By Giving’ philosophy.

To always make my client’s #1 goal, my #1 goal.

To always live up to my standards despite temptations to lower them.

To always be willing to work toward the common good.

To always do what I say I will do, sometimes more, just never less.

If you believe in these values, borrow them. Adopt them. Add them to your website and to your business card.

#5 A written commitment to world-class service.

Here’s another real-life example.

• A commitment to polite and gracious advice, counsel, and wisdom based on decades of experience. Transparent and open answers to tough questions and difficult decisions.
• A commitment to being sympathetic to your specific needs, no matter what they are.
• A commitment to non-stop and continuous home search for you. We won’t be happy until we find you the perfect home.
• A commitment that we will search for homes in non-traditional manners. Homes that are soon to come to the market; cooperative for sale by owners, whatever it takes to uncover the right home that may not even be on the market.
• A commitment to superior communication, guaranteed returned phone call in less than 24 hours. In writing,
• A commitment to, and guarantee of, superior buyer education. We want you to be knowledgeable about the home-buying process. We may even ask you to come into the office for a pre-search buyer education session.
• A commitment to an exclusive buyer agency agreement. A written and binding agreement to commits us to world-class service. If you aren’t happy, we aren’t happy.
• A commitment that we will provide a comparable market analysis for every home that you choose to make an offer on; combined with decades of negotiating experience to win you the right property, at the right price, and under the right terms.
• A weekly call to discuss your home search from me personally. No excuses, no exceptions.
• A commitment to a dedicated and personalized transaction coordinator who acts as your personal concierge to handle every detail from the accepted offer until you are smoothly relocated to your new home.

And finally, a few things to avoid. (Maybe this will give you content for your next social media post 😉)

Part-time agents and below-average producers. They are less likely to be current with regulations, procedures, and market conditions; and more likely to put needing the deal ahead of your needs.

Working directly with the listing agent. The listing agent represents the seller, and if they represent you at the same time, you are in essence unrepresented and that’s rarely the way to “get a better deal”.

So...

How many "boxes" do you check?