Which traits make an agent worthy of your trust?

It’s no easy business being a Realtor. You see their smiling faces all over bus benches, shopping carts, magnetic football schedules plastered to the sides of refrigerators, and even see their listings on social media. But just getting to the point where they can consider themselves even a bit successful takes perseverance, attention to detail, a willingness to bombard themselves with the local market 24/7, and a rock solid belief that they are doing what they were born to do.

So how do you know if you’ve chosen the right Realtor? It’s not necessarily about whether they’ve been in business for decades. It’s about traits that make you feel protected, informed, and well-represented on a daily basis. And it doesn’t hurt if you like them, too.

In her article on the topic for RealtyTimes, P.J. Wade talks about trust. “Without trusted input, individuals and couples can second guess themselves when buying or selling, vacillating on whether to stick with their decision or not.” She speaks of how common it is for buyers to be risk-averse when it comes to the purchase of any big ticket item, especially a house. “Trust grounded in the value of the purchase and the soundness of the buying decision reduces risk aversion, and lessens or eliminates second-guessing. This trust usually arises out of the relationship with the real estate professional, not the real estate itself,” she says.

Common traits among the most highly trusted agents don’t vary much from place to place or decade to decade. A real estate agent is a person whose de facto purpose is to increase your knowledge of how the sales process influences outcomes. He or she can build your confidence in decision making and lessen skepticism by welcoming your questions and contributions. The more confident you become through this process, the better you feel about big-ticket decisions.

Wade admits that while trust in the face of certainty is an achievement, in the face of uncertainty it is indeed an art form. “When a knowledgeable real estate professional delivers services, or explains properties or advice, they also clarify what they expect to receive from buyers or sellers who give their trust to the professional. In other words, during the uncertainty of the adventure into real estate, buyers and sellers are told how they can act in their own best interest to facilitate good outcomes from their real estate transaction.”

An agent’s ability to deliver on professional promises and responsibilities is paramount as well. If you interview a succession of agents to list your house and have a certain high water dollar mark in mind, look to the agent who gets real about it. What information can he or she provide that shows you what the market is bearing right now and talk about the what-ifs? It’s almost like talking to a doctor about the outcome of a big medical procedure. What is the best and worst case scenario that can come of it?

Your agent should have passion, first and foremost. Even rookie agents can outsell veteran agents with this trait, because real estate, being the “thought” business it is, takes a lot of attention to detail and a commitment to great customer service. Passion means returning calls at lightning speed, making contact and following up on every question, informing you of new information, and — yes — knowing how to deliver news you may not want to hear. Good agents base their communication style on what their client prefers, so don’t be surprised if your agent asks you how and how often you want to hear from them, whether it’s texting, FaceTiming, emailing or calling.

Technology is a Realtor’s friend, not something they shrug off or put off learning about. They are laptop toters and smartphone addicts and while they don’t have “office hours,” they do appreciate an occasional evening to themselves or with their families to keep themselves grounded. Like a child absorbing everything happening around them, however, they may be watching a great program on TV with an iPad in their laps, looking at listings, learning more about the market. It’s just something that becomes a part of their DNA.

“Your neighborhood expert” is a hackneyed phrase that has graced the business cards of many an agent over the past 50 years, but it still applies to the best agents because the good ones are walking, talking encyclopedias of neighborhood lore. They know who built the homes on a particular street 15 years ago, what infrastructure is slated to be added, and how a neighborhood has changed over the years.

They are also great at explaining things. In her article Six Habits of a Successful Real Estate Agent, Realtor.com's Dierdre Wollard puts it this way: “Like straight-A students doing math homework, successful agents show their work. When they meet with the client for the first time they explain the process, the potential roadblocks, and a few scenarios that could occur. They let the client know that they are negotiating, they keep in regular communication, and they adjust their strategy as needed.”

They also know literally EVERYONE. Their “team” consists of time-tested contractors, insurance agents, title and escrow personnel, inspectors, etc., all of whom can advise and assist with anything real estate or home-related.

Well-known real estate coach Tom Ferry talks about how, when you meet a successful real estate agent, they are among only about 13% who have actually survived in the business after five years. Those with less experience can be winners too, and are no doubt sitting two open houses per weekend while they miss their kids’ soccer games or their family’s gatherings. The winners are the ones who are ravenous for the latest real estate analytics and trends of the market. Hot sheets are their morning cappuccino, where they get the lowdown on what homes are listed, which ones sold and are in escrow, which ones closed escrow, and what got pulled off the market. Numbers, prices, and neighborhoods swirl in their heads.

In the end, the real estate agent worthy of your trust is the person whose interest in you is genuine, adamantly concerned with every facet of the work carried out for and with you. They won your trust because they possess the kind of winning attitude to get you just the right investment, home, or sale you were looking for, keeping you informed with real-time information all along the way.

Source: Realtor, RealtyTimes, Tom Ferry, TBWS


All information furnished has been forwarded to you and is provided by thetbwsgroup only for informational purposes. Forecasting shall be considered as events which may be expected but not guaranteed. Neither the forwarding party and/or company nor thetbwsgroup assume any responsibility to any person who relies on information or forecasting contained in this report and disclaims all liability in respect to decisions or actions, or lack thereof based on any or all of the contents of this report.

NMA Home Loans is Licensed by the California Department of Real Estate under License # 01111689 and NMLS # 320740

Ed Eissa

Mortgage Broker / Realtor

NMLS: NMLS 320740 - DRE 01111689

NMA Home Loans

7003 Sherbourne Lane, San Diego CA

Company NMLS: 320740

Office: 858-750-0931

Cell: 858-750-0931

Email: ed@nmahomeloans.com

Web: http://www.NMAhomeloans.com

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