This is the second installment in an on-going series of posts dedicated to helping 1st-Time Home Buyers successfully achieve their home purchasing goals. We have been identifying and discussing, in chronological order, key events in the home buying process. In the first post, we began to identify the Top Ten Traits of a Great Real Estate Agent. We had discussed the first 5 traits: Advocate; Knowledgeable; Ethical; Accessible; and Communicator.

Here then, are the remaining 5 traits:

Top Ten Traits of a Great Real Estate Agent, Part 2

Highly Recommended: They say that you’re only as good as your last transaction. As you interview prospective agents, ask them to provide you with recent testimonials from past clients, including the client’s contact phone numbers or e-mail address. Great agents will always have lots of great clients who say great things about them!

Empathetic: A great agent is genuinely sensitive to your needs. They are patient and understanding. They recognize the emotions, fears, and anxieties that usually accompany a first-time home purchase. Their constant and confident assurances provide a much-needed calming anchor throughout the entire transaction.

Willing to educate: As a professional real estate agent, you can never share too much information. This is especially true with 1st Time Home Buyers. The first time you meet with your chosen agent; have them walk you through the entire home-buying transaction, step-by-step. This will help to ensure that there are no surprises along the way and you can anticipate the various events as they occur.

Tech Savvy: Great agents stay current with emerging technologies, and willingly adapt them to better improve their business and services. Does your prospective agent have a smart phone, and implement mobile technology/apps? Do they utilize a digital signature program like DocuSign? Does their website or blog provide current, up-to-date information on their market, and tools to easily search for area listings?

Continuing Education: A great agent has never “arrived,” but is committed to constantly learning new things. They are consistently engaged in on-going education and training opportunities. Many top agents have earned numerous designations such as ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative), GRI (Graduate of Realtors Institute), or CRS (Certified Residential Specialist). These designations often indicate further study, more experience, and greater degrees of knowledge.

So there’s your Top Ten Traits of a Great Real Estate Agent.

Selecting a Great Real Estate Agent is the first important step in successfully achieving your home buying goals. With the amount of information that is available today on the Internet, you can learn a lot about potential agent candidates before ever meeting them face-to-face. Most real estate agents have their own website, publish their own blogs, or actively participate on social media platforms, allowing for greater transparency regarding their work ethics, practices, and personality.

 

The 1st Time Home Buyer’s Guide – Part 1

 

 

Welcome to the first installment of my new blog series, “The 1st Time Home Buyer’s Guide”! My name is Naomi Auerbach, and I’m a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Ward Real Estate here in Ashland, Ohio. This series is designed to help first-time home buyers successfully navigate the process of purchasing their first home. Over the next few weeks, I’ll break down the key events in the home-buying journey, starting with one of the most critical steps: choosing the right real estate agent to represent you. Buying your first home is one of the most exciting milestones in life! But let’s be real, it can also feel overwhelming. That’s why it’s so important to work with an experienced and reliable real estate agent who truly has your best interests at heart. Before you dive into the home-buying process, let me emphasize how crucial it is to partner with a licensed real estate professional who will guide you through the entire experience. As a first-time buyer, you’ll benefit from having someone dedicated to representing you every step of the way.

One of the most satisfying and rewarding aspects of my career in real estate is helping people successfully achieve their home buying goals. This is especially true with 1st Time Home Buyers. There are few things better in life than helping someone, for the first time, realize their dreams of home ownership.

Before we begin though, let me first stress to you the importance of contracting with a licensed real estate professional to represent you in the home buying process, particularly if you are a 1st Time Buyer. As we will discuss further, you owe it to yourself to have someone who is dedicated solely to being your advocate, and representing your best interests.

So, how do you choose the right real estate agent? Here are some common questions 1st Time Home Buyers often ask:

    – How do I choose a real estate agent?     – Why is it so important to have an agent represent me in a home purchase?     – What qualities or traits should I look for when interviewing agents/brokers?

In this first part of the blog, I’ll share the first five traits that I believe every great agent should have. In Part Two, we’ll dive into the final five essential traits. With that said, the following is a basic list of traits to consider when selecting your agent/broker:

1. Advocate: Hopefully, as you begin your house buying adventure, you will hear a lot about real estate agency law. Professional agents/brokers take agency representation very seriously. There are very specific duties, responsibilities, and obligations that a licensed agent/broker is mandated by State law to fulfill to their clients. Listing Agents are under contract with the Sellers. They only represent the Sellers best interests, not the Buyers. A Buyer’s Agent owes their fiduciary or statutory duties and obligations solely to the Buyer. When you meet with a prospective agent, ask them to explain agency law. Ask them whom they would represent in the purchase transaction. A great agent is passionate about working for their Buyer’s best interests.

2. Knowledgeable: A great agent is a knowledgeable agent. They understand local, State, and Federal laws concerning real estate. They are proficient with all types of purchase & sale contracts, and can explain all the various forms and addendums to you. They know the local market they serve inside and out, and can provide you with valued counsel based on their experience and local market expertise.

3. Ethical: Licensed real estate professionals are held to a very high standard, The NAR Code of Ethics. While there may be the occasional bad apple, most agents genuinely strive to maintain these ethical practices in their daily business. They don’t just talk about being ethical, it’s a foundational element of who and what they are.

4. Accessible: Great agents will make themselves easily accessible and available to their clients. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they have no life and you can call them 24/7 with your questions. But it does mean that they will make you feel as though you’re their only client! If they aren’t available to take your call, they’ll actually return your messages promptly and on the same day! Great agents also know how to leverage new technologies to provide greater accessibility for their clients.

5. Communicator: A great agent creates and maintain constant and effective lines of communication with their clients. They’ll also take the time to understand your communication preferences, whether that’s via phone, email, or text. Good communication builds trust and ensures that you’re never left in the dark.. Good, clear communication is especially critical for 1st Time Buyers. They can never have too much information.

Look for the remaining 5 traits in my next article in the 1st Time Home Buyer’s Guide.

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I hope this blog post resonates with you, and I look forward to continuing this journey with you in future articles. If you’re ready to start your home-buying adventure, or if you have any questions, feel free to contact me anytime! Happy home buying!
– Naomi Auerbach –

Realtor at Coldwell Banker Ward Real Estate