We cannot stress how important choosing the right real estate agent is when buying or selling a home. PLEASE do not settle when it comes to choosing your agent. In our current competitive market, choosing the right agent could be the difference between winning or losing the bid on your dream home or getting the most money possible for your home sale.
There is so much that goes into being a successful and dependable real estate agent. Anyone can apply for and take a real estate exam, but not everyone can be a top-notch agent. Here are some important things to consider when interviewing and selecting an agent to be your trusted partner throughout the entirety of your real estate transaction:
Are They a Local Expert?
Choose an agent who is a local expert. They need to be familiar with all aspects of the locations in which you are conducting your home search. Having this wealth of knowledge when it comes to location can help you make decisions based on factors such as commuter routes, public parks, distance to schools, restaurants, shops, medical facilities and anything else you find important when deciding where to purchase a home. It will be extremely difficult for an agent to guide you in your home search if they are only vaguely familiar with the area you are searching in. On the flip side, in a home sale situation, knowing the area surrounding your home can make all of the difference when deciding on sales price - especially in this competitive market. They need to be familiar with recent home sales that have occurred in your area as well as what circumstances can drive up or lower the price of your home. An incorrectly priced home could either leave potential earnings on the table or cause your home sale to take longer, which decreases perceived value, also losing you money. The Capitol Z Homes Team have helped clients buy and sell homes throughout the District, Maryland and Virginia. All of our agents currently reside in this area with some being born and raised right here in the DMV. We work hard and play hard in this region and are confident in our abilities to help you navigate searches and follow market trends in many different locations across the area.
How Knowledgeable Are They With Offer Terms and Local Real Estate Laws?
When presenting or reviewing a contract for a new home, you want to make sure that you are putting your best foot forward and that you have a complete understanding of the terms in which you are agreeing to. No one enjoys a surprise condition or a misunderstood/missed timeline which ultimately could become a costly mistake. A good agent should be able to walk you through every aspect of the contract documents and ensure that you are grasping the concept and meaning of each section. Your agent should always be up to speed and trained in real estate law and industry changes. We want you to feel confident and have a deep understanding of the contract. This starts with a knowledgeable and dedicated agent. Here at Capitol Z Homes, we have created systems to educate and provide guidance in selecting the most strategic offer terms prior to preparing your contract. We want to make sure that our clients feel empowered to stand behind their decisions and feel comfortable making them. We put in the time and the effort to review these terms and implement our unique processes to put everyone involved at ease, making the contract writing process as stress and hassle free as possible.
How Are Their Negotiation Skills?
This one is straight and to the point. You NEED an agent with strong negotiation skills and tactics who will work hard to get you the best value and terms for your transaction. Your agent also needs to conduct their business and negotiations with a level of professionalism that will make a positive impression on the other side of the transaction. This will make them WANT to work with your offer as they will have confidence in a smooth transaction. In a competitive market with a crowd of close offers, the level of professionalism of the offering agent could have an impact on which contract is selected. With over 17 years of sales and marketing experience, our founder, Zabrine Watson has mastered the art of negotiation. Your best interest is her top priority and she will respectfully fight to get you all that you deserve in your real estate transaction. All of our agents have been fully trained by Zabrine to utilize and provide the top-notch negotiation skills that our clients deserve.
Do They Have a Support Staff or Team?
Real estate transactions are constantly moving from one stage to the next and this process can move FAST. Having a support staff and team of agents to assist with transaction coordination, marketing, showing assistance and client care are key to a smooth and stress-free transaction. Your time is valuable to us and we can guarantee that someone will always be available to assist with your transaction throughout the entire process.
What Are Their Core Values?
You need to select an agent that you are 100% comfortable with. Someone you feel you mesh with and can wholeheartedly trust to guide you through this fast paced and exciting process. Do they follow all ethical guidelines? Are they truly listening to your needs? How transparent are they throughout the entire process? The Capitol Z Homes Team was founded on three principles: Trust, Reliability and Knowledge. You can always trust that one of our excellent agents will always be by your side. We are reliable in every aspect of our business and will ensure that we communicate (promptly at all times), guide and assist you with anything that may arise during your transaction. We strive to continually educate ourselves, showing our dedication to being the expert in all things real estate. All of our clients receive complimentary buyer or seller consultations prior to signing an exclusive agreement because we want you to understand the process and know what to expect moving foward together. Our goal is to help you achieve your real estate dreams and our carefully created processes, tools and values will help you along the way to achieve them, setting you up for maximum success.
Having an incredible agent can make or break your real estate transaction. We highly recommend conducting multiple interviews and doing all of the research that you can before selecting your trusted partner. Once you have decided on the right agent, the rest of the puzzle pieces should fall into place and you will be well on your way in your real estate journey.
Do you have questions about what to expect from your real estate agent or any of our buying and selling processes? Give us a call or email us today, we would love to chat with you!
