7 Things to Look for in a Real Estate Agent

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If you’re buying or selling a house, a real estate agent is your advocate. Agents are the ones between you and your home goals. Quality agents have many duties and can make buying or selling your house a painless process. Here, I’m going to be covering the top 7 habits of successful real estate agents that you want to look for when selecting an agent.

7 Habits of Successful Real Estate Agents

A great realtor is a professional, a communication professional, a planner, and is familiar with market trends.

Great real estate agents do research, proactively gather information, and stick around to assist and give guidance. If all your current agent does is drive you around from listing to listing, they aren’t doing anything that you couldn’t do yourself.

There are many things that make agents great. Here are some things that the best ones usually have in common.

#1 Successful Real Estate Agents are Always Professional

A great real estate agent will prioritize professionalism over everything.

Agents are professional in their interviews and meetings, honest and trustworthy. They respect their clients and have high standards for themselves. This is why this trait is number one on our list of 7 habits of successful real estate agents.

You can see their professionalism by:

• How they carry themselves
• How they dress
• Their communication skills
• And how they have built their brand.

Also good to note: Having an up-to-date website and an internet presence usually shows they take their job seriously. Note these little aspects to separate a great agent from a scam artist.

#2 Successful Estate Agents Take Care of Their Appearance

A successful realtor knows that first impressions count. Taking care to ensure they make an effort to look their best in all situations shows that they take even the smallest appointment seriously. 

They know that appearance is important, and looking professional goes a long way. No matter who they’re working with, be it a client, another agent, a potential seller, a lawyer, or a lender, they want to be taken seriously.

When agents can show their professionalism, others will follow suit. This can have an impact on other aspects of the process, and benefits you as the client.

#3 Communication is a Key Habit of Successful Real Estate Agents

A top real estate agent will recognize the importance of communication. They know they are there to serve their clients and to keep them as informed as possible. They make sure to keep them in the loop about what is happening in the market and what their clients can expect. 

#4 Being a Planner is an Important Habit of a Successful Real Estate Agent

Great real estate agents take the time to construct a plan for each client and they always come prepared. This includes a schedule that they think is ideal and tasks that need to be checked off before the process is complete.

If a real estate agent is well organized and planning ahead, it can mean that they have a strong understanding of your wants and needs. This can also show that they are a reliable resource and have that experience in the industry.

#5 Successful Real Estate Agents Build Relationships

A real estate agent who has worked in the market for a while knows the value of cultivating connections and professional relationships with people. Great real estate agents will have people they can contact to facilitate their clients’ requests or have the ability to give their clients information before it goes to the general public.

Such contacts are invaluable in the industry. The better real estate agents will always be in the loop.

#6 A Successful Real Estate Agent Keeps up With Market Trends

Another habit of a successful real estate agent will make sure they keep updated on their field of expertise. The real estate market is always changing, and agents need to stay informed and up to date with housing trends, common demands, and changes in their market so they can best serve their clients.

This can mean paying attention to lending rates and how the process is changing, schools that are opening and closing in their area, shopping centers being built, etc. It can also mean staying up to date with the latest technology and having knowledge of the tools available to them.

Either way, they need to stay informed so they can do their job well.

#7 Gets to Know Clients

A good real estate agent will always make an effort to get to know their clients. They will start by asking questions to help them know what their client is looking for and the best way to proceed. Top real estate agents take the time to sit down and talk to their clients. They get to know them, their personalities, their objectives when it comes to buying and selling a house, and what they expect of their real estate agent.

If the agent doesn’t really know their client there is little chance of them delivering on an outcome that is desirable for either party, so spending time getting to know the client is key.

Take the Next Step to Finding a Successful Real Estate Agent

Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a house or considering a career as a real estate agent, these habits are good to be aware of. Remember, you may still find the house of your dreams or sell your house for the desired amount with an agent that isn’t top-notch, but chances are high that the process will be a lot less enjoyable and you may wish you had made a different decision. Feel free to browse our directory to find an agent in your area that’s right for you!