Before buying / selling

Hire the Right Broker to Manage Your Property

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Questions you should you ask your real estate agent or broker before you hire them:

What percentage of your clients are buyers (vs. sellers)?

Will I be working with you directly with you or handed off to anyone else other than you? In other words, will you handle all aspects of my transaction or will you delegate some tasks.

  • Do you work full-time or part-time as a real estate agent?
  • How many homes have you closed in the past year? 
  • How many other buyers are you representing now? How many sellers? The busiest agents often are the most efficient.
  • Is your license in good standing? Before hiring check: https://www.trec.texas.gov/  search license number or name of agent or broker
  • How many years of experience do you have?
  • Do you own your own home?  A new Trulia Trends study shows that 85% of brokers and agents are homeowners). Agents/brokers who own their own home under better understand home ownership through experience.
  • Are you a broker and/or a Realtor or an agent?
  • Do you have client reviews? 

Hire an Agent When Building a House

Many home buyers think they don't need to hire an agent when building a new home. After all, you're buying directly from the builder and they already have contractors, lenders and inspectors. Why should someone else be brought into the mix? 

The truth is, buying any home without an agent can be a costly mistake. It can mean paying more than you should, missed opportunities for upgrades, contract errors that aren't in your favor or a delayed closing.

Thinking of buying a new construction home? Here are three reasons to have an agent on your side before visiting the sales office:

  1. Expert Negotiation: While their advertising would have you believe otherwise, builder's prices aren't always set in stone. Agents are skilled negotiators who can likely get the price dropped slightly or have a few upgrades thrown in.
  2. Preferred Vendors: Your builder might have an affiliate mortgage lender or title company, but chances are they aren't going to offer the best deal. It's important to shop around, and what's better than a vendor your agent already knows and trusts?
  3. Guidance and Support: The home buying process can be complicated, with lots of twists, turns and steps along the way. When buying new construction, you also have design reviews, electrical work and other construction needs. An agent can guide you through all of these, making sure your purchase stays on track, on time and on budget from start to finish.