Who’s the right realtor for you?
I’ve worked with a lot of them. Some just starting out in their 20’s, many in their 40’s, most of them in the US are now around 50,* and I know several still at it in their 70’s and even 80’s. They come from everywhere and every background. Most of them didn’t grow up in real estate. They chose it as a second career after doing something else and more often than not they came to real estate because of the entrepreneurial life style and saw it as an avenue to serve their community.
Where they came from, how old they are, what their greatest passion is, or how formerly educated they may be has absolutely no bearing on the quality of service and/or the level of expertise they can bring to you. I learned that by working with them for over 20 years from the title insurance side of the fence. It’s in the blood or not (kind of thing). They learned real estate by doing it. They showed up to the party one day, fell in love, and stayed.
Young or old, the best experiences I have working with realtors (and the most fun) are those running around with their hair on fire. Okay, I jest (sort of). Most of them have a very cool and calm exterior, but really, the fun one’s are those with the bright eyes who care, they’re purpose driven passion machines; you can hear it in their speech and see it in their body language. They have urgency before them and they don’t hesitate to face challenges. They get involved. They like people. They’ll make that phone call nobody else wants to make. Most important, they return phone calls, email, and text messages.
Which one will you choose?
Statistics tell us that you’re more than likely to pick a REALTOR® who’s someone like you. Is this wise? I say not necessarily, but the fact remains its human nature and we do it often. But don’t be foolish. Take advantage of the means at your disposal and find the REALTOR® that’s right for you. We all have an aunt, brother, friend with a son, sister or cousin that just got their real estate license. I’m not saying don’t choose them. Just don’t take the path of least resistance, look around.
Realtors are in the relationship business.
Personally, I want one of those. I want one that’s really good at relationship and very well connected. To me, that means the greater likelihood they’ll sell my place and/or help me find and purchase the new home I want. A lot of that ‘likelihood’ today takes place on the web and an agent who is online can be a fabulous resource.
Communities are conversation and conversation is opportunity. A REALTOR® who knows their craft and spends time online building relationships is making a big investment. It takes commitment. If they make an honest and consistent attempt to authentically contribute to the online conversation, they bring a lot of value to all of us. They’re investing in community and paying it forward (as we say in social media parlance). They’re building a network of opportunity and resources and we all benefit. As a home buyer or seller, I want to work with a REALTOR® that has this larger view and connection.
Where might I find one?
A good place to begin your search for a REALTOR® is where you begin your search for most every one of your wants, needs, and desires… the internet. So, Google it. In today’s consumer web-savvy world you’ll find the forward thinking realtors here. Those of us who work online and have worked in real estate related industries know from the endless pedantic stream of industry market studies that most of you (duh) are already online and you very likely started your search with Google then moved on to other real estate sites like Trulia.com, Zillow.com, Realtor.com, CraigsList.com, and many others. We know millions of you do that every day and many of you when it’s time take action, will choose your REALTOR® online.
It’s important to choose a real estate professional that’s adept at new consumer behavior and proficient online. This is the new status quo. Any REALTOR® who’s taken the time to create a good online presence has not only made a monumental leap of faith, they brought their careers and themselves to a very global and transparent stage. It won’t take long to separate the makers from the fakers. Look for one’s that have something to say, not just the one’s with the biggest baddest slickest websites.
Look for the bloggers who talk about their neighborhoods, shares statistics, alert you to what’s going on, and rally to good causes. They’re demonstrating professional commitment. Not all realtors are bloggers, and they need not be. As I said above, realtors are in the relationship business. You have to be in a conversation to build relationships.
For example, Google them… What shows up? If they’re involved online, they will show up. If they have a common name you’ll have to tinker with your search terms a little, but usually “agents name, company name” or “agents name, city” or “agents name, realtor or real estate” will get results. You should see links to their website or blog and the networks and sites they associate with in your search results. Follow those links. You’ll learn a lot. It won’t take long and the time is well worth spent.
Dig a little deeper. Do they have a Facebook.com account? Do they have a Fan or Business page? Are they on Linkedin.com the largest professional business network online? If they are they’ll have a profile with work history, recommendations, and associates. Are they on ActiveRain.com, the largest network online for real estate professionals? They might blog here, check it out. They’ll be rubbing virtual elbows and be in conversation with other very net savvy realtors. This is important. If relocation is part of your real estate plans they’ll likely know someone in that area.
If you use Twitter, are they there? What do they tweet? Follow them and find out. Are they involved with Biznik.com, a network of business entrepreneurs, or Meetup.com for special interest groups like photography, hiking, web design, you name it? Both of these last two hold events around town, most are free. A lot of realtors show up at these networking events. So can you.
In today’s world, we still have a lot of real estate professionals lagging behind. They’re stuck in the heavy boots of outdated marketing methods. They’re marketing to an empty room because everyone left the building. I’m not saying if you interview a REALTOR® you tell them you do not want your home listed in the Sunday paper, don’t send post cards, or don’t have an open house. That might be very appropriate. But what else is in their toolbox?
The two most important questions you can ask a REALTOR® today are:
“What is your internet marketing strategy?” and, “What do you do online to create opportunity?”
Our world changed. Now days we need to know a lot of people to maximize our opportunities and those relationships are often cultivated and maintained online. I work with realtors everyday that proactively make the effort to stay on top of current trends, technology, consumer behavior, and the marketplace to bring the best service possible to their clients. They’re hip, savvy, honest, giving, and authentic. Pick one of them. Choose the one that fits your personality, but more importantly choose the one that’s well connected online and off. They have more resources.
If you’re selling, they’ll know how to give your listing global exposure. They have networks to talk with and can rapidly disseminate wants and needs to a vast number of people. If you’re buying, they’ll know the neighborhood, the inventory, schools, issues, prices, and amenities better than anyone.
Happy hunting…
René
