Debt Management
www.trapped.co.uk |
You always hear companies and agents say they are "Full Service" Realtors. Unfortunately, there are too many agencies calling themselves "Full Service" and not living up to their clients' expectations. So, what should you expect from your "Full Service" agent? In addition to your personal expectations, here are some aspects you should require before choosing who you do business with:
Education-
Before entrusting someone to fulfill your real estate needs, you want to ensure you are selecting an agent who is dedicated to continually educating themselves about their industry and the current market. Unfortunately, obtaining a real estate license isn't the most difficult of things to do. There are too many agents in this industry who skate by with the minimal continuing education courses required to keep their license. A "Full Service" agent should continuously be educating themselves and staying on top of current market trends. Ask your agent how often they update themselves on new market data. If their answer is anything other than daily (or at least weekly), move onto another agent.
Communication-
One of the biggest complaints from both buyers and sellers is the lack of communication from their agents on even a basic level. You should be receiving some form of contact from your agent every week. Even if it's a simple email to tell you that there hasn't been any new activity on your property. What's worse is when agents fail to return clients phone calls and emails in a timely fashion. If your "Full Service" agent doesn't determine your preferred method of contact and doesn't have a steady system for keeping in contact with you, you should question if they are providing you with "Full Service."
Company Image-
There are several fly by night companies out there that try and pass as "Full Service" agencies. The company you choose should have guidelines in place that require a level of professionalism and dedication from all their agents. There are many companies (including well known chains) that will take on any agent who comes through the door. Find out how extensive of an interview process the companies you're deciding on have, and do they retain the cream of the crop in your market.
Long term-
Study shows that 50% of all licensees are gone within a year, and that 80% leave the industry by their second year. Of the 20% who remain, many still lack the work ethic and devotion it takes to survive in a down market. As a result, many agents will put their license on ice until the market rebounds. Within the last two month we've seen a large increase of agents coming back into the market that originally changed their license to inactive over the last couple of years. So even if the agent you're speaking with has several year of experience, find out what amount of it was spent with an inactive license. You'll find only a handful of agents have what it takes to be to deliver results to their clients no matter what the market conditions are.
Systematic-
Every agent you speak to will tell you they can do the job you're looking for. But do they have a system in place to actually deliver? You want to make sure your agent has a system in place to ensure that your needs will, (not might) be met. Studies show that less than 20% of agents have even developed a process for their original interview, let alone for an entire transaction. During your initial interview process, a "Full Service" agent should be able to provide a step by step agenda which will prove to you without a doubt that they are able to fulfill your needs.
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