1. Always call your Realtor first! If you see a home at an open house or in a advertisement, call your Realtor first. The Listing Agent may be able to tell you more about the home, but imagine if you had to call every listing agent for every home that interests you. That would take a lot of time, which is what your Realtor gets paid to do. Additionally, for a Listing Agent, it can be annoying to get a call from someone that wants you to show a home to them, only to find out a few minutes into a conversation that they are working with another agent. Commonly, when asked why they call the listing agent the reply is "Well, I didn't want to bother/waste the time of my agent." This is certainly not acceptable for anyone concerned. If your agent gives you the impression that they are too busy to work for you, then perhaps you should find another agent that will. Which brings me to two more points:
2. Always tell the Agent right away if you have decided to work with someone else or if there is a change in your circumstances. There are a host of reasons switch agents: the chemistry isn't right; your agent is too busy or something completely different. But always inform your agent of changes.
Perhaps there are extenuating circumstances such as family issues, but leaving the scorned agent twisting in the wind is NOT ACCEPTABLE. Many times, they have spent long hours looking for properties or showing them to you, time they could have spent on finding new clients or spending time with family and friends. Which brings me to my next point:
3. Realtors have lives too. Always remember this: no matter how committed a Realtor is to their profession, they have family and friends too. Sometimes personal events such as children's birthdays, weddings or even funerals take priority over getting you into a house, and this should in no way be construed as being unavailable or unwilling to work.
Also remember, don't expect your Realtor to answer a call late at night. They don't work 24-7 and you probably wouldn't want them to.
Additionally, Realtor's take vacations and this is a time for them to unwind and relax. Many Realtors have someone to take care of their files/clients while they are away. If this is the case direct all inquiries to that person. Hold the emails and the phone calls.
4. Start looking for a house after you've been Pre-Qualified. You can certainly talk to an agent and they might be able to send you some listings, but until you know for sure how much you can afford, you are doing yourself a disservice. Any agent should ask a prospective buyer this question right away. They will likely have a lender that they feel comfortable dealing with or that they have worked with before.
5. Be realistic about what can be done. You can certainly try to buy a home for 80% of the list price, but don't expect your Realtor to produce a miracle.
Thanks for reading and remember, if you have a question email me andy@azalearealty.com or send me a text message:
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