—_— Finding The Right Real Estate Agent Is More Important Than Ever; An Eight-Point Checklist Of Do’s And Don’ts (NAPSA)—Asthe housing market increasingly shows signs of normalizing and as record numbers of real estate agents enter the market, choosing the right agent is more important than ever, experts say. In fact, even the National Association of Realtors points out that 74 percent of sellers and 64 percent of buyers choose the first agent they meet— which isn’t necessarily a good thing. “Now, more than ever, choosing the right real estate agent will largely determine whether the buying or selling process will go smoothly or not,” said Lane Barnett, president and CEO of GMAC Real Estate franchise operations. “The key to avoiding frustration— and wasting time and money—is doing a little research up front in order to select the agent with specific experience to best meet your needs.” To help consumers avoid the headache of choosing the wrong agent, GMAC Real Estate offers the following timely tips for selecting the right agent: 1. Avoid the temptation to let family membersor friends “give it a go.” Yes, it would be nice to help a loved oneor friend get a foot in the door and a commission, but you’re dealing with possibly the largest transaction you'll ever make. 2. Avoid part-time agents; those who practice real estate in their spare time. Real estate transactions are time-consuming, complex endeavors. You need agents wholly committed to your transaction and their careers and who do it often enough to know what they’re doing. 3. Find agents who specialize in your neighborhood and your specific home value range. Interview agents with specific experience that matches your needs and make sure to ask whether they have a comprehensive customer satisfaction plan in place. Ask them what their customer satisfaction rating is and whether they will put into writing—up front—what they will do for you. For example, GMAC Real Estate encourages all of its real estate agents to offer customersits Premier Service program. This unique customer satisfaction program outlines what agents will do for their clients and even allows customers to honestly rate an agent’s performance through a customer satisfaction survey conducted and tabulated by an independentthird party. 4. Ask agents for a comparative market analysis. You need to be sure the agent you choose does his or her homework and fully understands the nuancesof your market. 5. Ask each agent you interview to share a “list price versus sales price” percentage vs. the market average; ask each to also disclose a listing’s average “days on the market” versus the market average. 6. How your homeis marketed will, of course, play a key role in its sale. So carefully compare the proposed marketing plans for your property/home that each agent presents to you. And be sure to pay extra attention to how your property will be promoted online. 7. Ask agents for references from their last three clients. If they hesitate, then maybe they’ve said a lot without saying a word. 8. Finally, in addition to choosing the agent who offers the kind of experience you need to help you buy or sell a home, check the personality “click factor’—so that the agent you select is someone you'll enjoy working with. GMAC Real Estate offers more home buying and selling advice online at www.gmacrealestate.com.
