If you’ve never bought a house before, working with a real estate agent can feel odd at first. Here’s this person who technically works for you, even though you don’t pay them directly, so everything feels like a favor.
Working well with your agent is an important part of the real estate process, so we’ve put together 3 simple questions you can ask your agent that’ll help you make the most of your experience.
Which areas do you work the most in?
Agents often have neighborhoods that they do a lot of business in, either because they like a specific area or because they keep getting referrals from a few pockets in town.
Either way, it’s valuable information to know where they do most of their business and whether you’d be interested in any homes in those areas.
Is the neighborhood I’m interested in growing?
When you do find a neighborhood you like, ask the agent what the development has been for the area. Has there been noticeable growth over the last 5 or 10 years?
Has the home value stayed about the same? Like we mentioned in our “5 Things to Consider When Looking For a Home” post, buying a home is partially about business and you want to make sure you’re making an educated financial decision.
Plus, a good agent will have the resources to find specific information about market that you can’t just find on Google.
What are the biggest difficulties I will have?
This is an important question and will produce an important answer. After you give a detailed explanation of what you’re looking for, ask your agent where they think you’ll find the most difficulty.
Is your price range too low for the neighborhood you’re looking for? Are you looking for a bigger house in an area that’s full of condos? This is vital information for you.
Plus, this is a good opportunity to gauge your agent’s determination to find you a home. Are they being brutally honest in their answers? If they’re being vague, it might be an indication that they haven’t thought enough about how best they can serve you.
It’s nice to have a friendly agent, but you also need an agent who will be honest with you when it’s required.