How do I get a Realtor?
Just call the number to the upper right! No, just kidding.
This is a question I’ve been wanting to write about for a long time because it seems to me that clients end up frustrated when they don’t spend enough time looking for a Realtor, just a house. Here’s the scoop: all Realtors use the same tools, they all use the same MLS, follow the same rules and every Realtor knows how to do a basic search to find the home you are looking for. The difference lies in whether this Realtor’s style and way of doing business fits what you want.
So there, you are actually doing two searches at once - one for a Realtor and then for the house. And the second gets a lot easier if you do the first one right. Here’s what most people do: they see a house they like on the outside and call the number on the sign. That is the listing agent’s phone number. And chances are the listing agents (at least in today’s market) have no interest in driving buyers around and showing them homes. Buyers however call every number on every sign until someone answers and shows them a few homes.
While there’s nothing wrong with this approach, it wastes a lot of time. Instead, what I recommend buyers do is find a few Realtors they think they can work with and try calling them to talk with them. Better yet, search for them online. Many Realtors today have more than a website - they have a blog, where they publish information about topics that interest them and houses in general. Read their blogs, get a feel for whether you would get along with them and how competent they seem in their field.
Then call them, tell them what you’re looking for and go shopping!
