As many of you know my real passion is real estate.
I used watch shows like Flip this House and Moving Up religiously. I love the possibilities of finding an old home fixing it up and then trying to sell it for profit. I did it once and am itching to do it again.
Buying a house to flip is risky. Actually buying any home is a bit of a risk if you don’t know what you’re getting into. That’s why having a good real estate agent is so important.
Here’s how to find a good real estate agent.
How to Find a Good Real Estate Agent
The real estate agent I know has been a friend of my Dad’s for as long as I can remember. He also lived really close to us when I was growing up. I grew up with his kids and think of them like family. So, obviously he’s a person who I trust 100 percent to give me legit advice.
I can be sometimes impatient or think I can pull off more than I am capable of. He tells me like it is whether good or bad. I love not having to worry about making a horrible decision because he’s there to talk me out of something when I try.
The number one trait you need to look for in a real estate agent is honesty. Bonus traits and experience in the area and construction cost knowledge. Before I bought the trailer and was looking at homes to purchase my realtor would actually crawl under the houses to see if anything was wrong with them. He has some good handyman skills and would check things out as we went through the houses.
Ask People You Know
If you don’t know any realtors it’s important to ask for suggestions from all of your friends and family. It would be best to find an agent that several of your family members have worked with.
If you still can’t find any look online for local real estate agents and try out a few. If you’re in Australia you can check out Homesales.com.au
By having a few different real estate agents show you houses you can get a vibe for how each do business and should be able to make a selection.
Don’t Settle
Go with your gut feeling. If you think someone is trying to talk you into purchasing a house just so they can get a commission move on.
A real estate agent is one professional that you need to trust because buying a house is a big deal.
i spend on average 180 a month on my car. That includes gas, insurance and mechanical issues. It’s going on 200,000 miles and i just have liability insurance. I’m too the point where i do want a newer car but mine still running so i don’t know. I go back on forth on this issue all the time! The key to having an older car is being able to fix it yourself or finding a trustworthy mechanic. If you have to go to good year or firestone every time you have an issue you will get ripped off.
Some people may not find this a big deal but I would never hire a close friend or a family member to be my agent. Conflict/disappointment happens in the real estate agent/client relationship all the time and I wouldn’t want any conflict to disrupt a good personal relationship.
I agree with Brian…although I didn’t take the advice. My aunt is my agent I guess. It was a tough situation because if I didn’t ask her…there might be some hurt feelings/disappointment for not asking her. Honestly for me, I don’t feel like an agent adds much value as I know the neighborhood and in NYC, I’m buying a co-op not a house…so much less complications. I’d rather go it alone and try and get the seller to either give up a portion of his/her commission or at least give me an advantage in negotiating as the seller’s agent would prefer me over having to split the commission. Either that or use an agent who will give me a refund of a portion of the commission.
I would like to hear your comments on buying a house on low income. I am low income and would love a place of my own but real estate isn’t cheap where i live. Neither is rent. I can get a VA loan or FHA but i want to have some savings before i got for it. It’s hard and it sucks. You were lucky with your situation that it turned out as cheap as it was. That tends to not be the case.
As always, very well said, Alexa. My hat’s off to you for constantly making a good point in your posts. If and when I would be given an opportunity to have the same experience, I would definitely go back to this post for reference.
I LOVE my Realtor. She sold me my property and a property to my mom. She also gave me a Christmas gift-even though I bought my property 7 years ago! Wow! I will be buying again in 2 years and will work with her again. She is also bffs with a girl I was a cheerleader with (found this out AFTER I bought my property!) Denver is pretty small.
I went with a friend. I knew he would take care of me and he sure as hell did.