7 Best Qualities to look for in a Buyer’s Agent

So, you want to buy property. Now what? Hiring a professional Realtor to guide you is a critical first step. But buyer’s agents should be more than just someone who can open a door and write up a contract.

Here are 7 qualities to look for when choosing a Buyer’s Agent.

  1. Experience – Now, it is not to say a new agent can’t provide you with great service but you will want to make sure they are doing this job full-time, are serious about their business and more importantly, not afraid to ask questions or get help from their manager if they don’t know the answers.
  2. Knowledge – Your buyer’s agent should have strong knowledge of the towns that you are interested in. Will they be able to tell you that a bus stop is at the end of the road or that a new Wawa is due to go up right behind the house you have your eye on? These are important nuances that may make a difference in your decision-making.
  3. Analytical – You are about to put down a lot of money for a home/investment. A skilled buyer’s agent will not only send you the comps but advise on if the asking price is in line with recent comps by analyzing different attributes of the homes and market shifts.
  4. Responsive and Proactive – Having a Buyer’s Agent who is on top of new inventory and is willing and able to get you in to see it as soon as possible is critical. Homes in our area move fast and if you snooze, you lose.
  5. Personable – You are about to spend a lot of time with this person so making sure you gel will result in a productive and loyal relationship.
  6. Honest – Find a Buyer’s Agent who will be very truthful and will give you the straight skinny on their opinion of the home and area.

 It’s difficult to assess all these qualities during a 10 minute conversation at an open house so it’s always a good idea to interview a few agents that you meet or were given to you by friends and family. Doing this assessment early on in the buying process will set you up for success and avoid a possible disappointment down the road.