Buying or selling a home is daunting enough without having to deal with a bad real estate agent, too. There are clear signs a real estate agent may not be the right one, so keep reading to find out what they are.
Real estate agents make the job of buying or selling a home much easier. However, when they don’t do their job right, these tasks can be much more difficult. Below are four signs you’re working with a bad real estate agent. If you recognize any of these, it might be time to consider finding a new one.
Lack Of Professionalism
A real estate agent’s job is to have your best interests at heart when helping you buy or sell a home. It’s not her fault, however, if the house isn’t selling fast enough or you can’t find the right house for you. Having said that, you should expect, however, that the agent will keep you up to date on how things are progressing. Not answering your phone calls or texts, arriving late to scheduled appointments, neglecting paperwork, missing deadlines, going on vacation without notice – these are all unacceptable and unprofessional. If your real estate agent displays some or all these qualities, he/she is negligent and inefficient and needs to be replaced.
Limited Resources
Gone are the days when putting a sign in the front yard and listing a property in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) was all a real estate agent had to do to sell a house. Today, thanks to the Internet, there are dozens of websites to use to buy and sell properties. Your agent should list your house on several websites, complete with a detailed description and crisp color photos. In addition, they should also advertise in the newspapers and send flyers out to other homes in that area. If they aren’t doing at least this much, what are you paying them for?
Failure To Communicate Properly
Your real estate agent works for you, not the other way around. They should keep you in the loop regularly via phone call or text, so you know what’s going on with your property at all times. If a buyer visits your home, they should contact you immediately to let you know what they thought. If your real estate agent goes a week or more without updating you on the progress of your sale or purchase, it’s a clear sign of incompetence and that she isn’t as interested in your project as they should be.
Lack Of Confidence Or Too Aggressive
The real estate agent you hire needs to be confident in their abilities but not be so aggressive that you feel pressured into making a deal you aren’t comfortable with. If your agent seems wishy-washy and agrees too quickly to terms without research, or if they try to persuade you to buy one home over another (probably because there’s a better commission in it for them), it’s probably a good idea to cut them loose and find another agent. You need an agent who’s a good negotiator and can guide you and the other party into making a good decision.
Finding a good real estate agent helps make the task of buying or selling a home much easier. Unfortunately, bad real estate agents do exist, and they can make a daunting task even more difficult. Keeping the four signs above in mind as you search for a real estate agent will help you discern a good one from a bad one.
Justin
