Hiring a real estate agent in Kansas City may seem simple because there are so many to choose from. But what are the steps on how to find a good real estate agent in Kansas City ?
Many local large real estate brokers will spend thousands of dollars each month to ensure that their agents are the most visible, whether it be online, in the Yellow Pages, or by erecting giant billboards in the most trafficked sections of Kansas City .
However, the agents backed by the most promotion dollars aren’t always the best, and may not be a good fit for your circumstances. In today’s blog, we’re going to look at how you can find a good real estate agent in Kansas City .
How To Find A Good Real Estate Agent In Kansas City
Get Recommendations from others and ask for customer reviews
You should always ask friends and family for recommendations about who they may have used or who they know has done a great job for someone they know. You may check their website for reviews, but remember website reviews of real estate agents can be easily manipulated, and may be little more than paid advertisements.
It would be much better to pull up Google and type in “[name of agent] reviews” and see what pops up in the Google search. If you see bad reviews on websites like yelp and others, consider what the reviews are saying and whether the issue was within the agent’s control as many things are not. It is also recommended for you to look for responses from the agent. When they engaged with those negative reviewers online, did they attempt to resolve the situation or did they simply blame and defend their own position?
It’s important to get honest reviews from any agent that you’re considering, and any reputable agent will be glad to provide you with recent clients. These reviews are one of the best ways to see how any real estate professional does out in the marketplace.
Ask the Right Questions Of The Local Kansas City Real Estate Agent
Ask the agent (or better yet, his or her former clients) the following questions to gauge the agent’s skill, and ability to represent you as a buyer or a seller:
- Was there any part of the process of buying or selling a home that clients were pleased or particularly displeased with?
- What was the asking price?
- What was the sales price?
- What properties have you worked with in my location?
- What about similarly sized properties?
It’s important to choose an agent who has experience working with homes similar to yours.
Check The Real Estate Agent’s Knowledge and Credentials
Check with your state’s real estate regulatory authority to verify the agent’s licensing. While you’re on that website, you’re also often able to look into regulatory actions and complaints against the agent.
You should also ask the agent how long they’ve been buying and selling homes. If they’re representing an agency, ask how long they’ve been with that particular agency, and their history with other firms.
Above all, it’s important to choose a real estate agent in Kansas City who you can trust. Regular communication is extremely important when selling your home, as in many cases, a house represents the majority of your net worth. The real estate agent should know the market in your neighborhood and be familiar with what other properties are for sale and what the current average sale price is.
Ask The Local Real Estate Agent How They Plan On Selling Your House
Sometimes going the direct route is the best. In the case of looking for a local Kansas City KS real estate agent, ask them how they intend on selling your house for you that the other agents in town won’t do. And see what their answer is.
Usually the great ones actually have a marketing plan and will get your house out there and on the market in a big way.
Compare Price With Value Of Service
Often times Kansas City home sellers want to go with the lowest priced option because they don’t want to pay they real estate agent fees or perhaps, they don’t have much equity available to cover the fees.
If a real estate agent is earning 3% on a $100,000 sale, that’s $3,000 in fees just to cover your side of the service fees. Usually both agents representing the buyer and the seller earn commission, so that number could double and will be paid by you, the seller, unless it is negotiated differently. Do your research before you go with a cut rate agent or a flat fee agent, because that usually means that you get less service and have to handle more on your own. This is perfectly fine if you have the time and the knowledge to handle it.
Some of the best real estate agents in Kansas City have great marketing systems and are able to sell homes faster and for higher prices. So even if you find someone to sell your house at a 1.5% fee, consider you invested time and effort as well as the risk of the house taking longer to sell and determine whether you’ll be saving money long term.
It’s important to avoid low-quality real estate agents. These could be “rookies” who will do anything to make their first sale (including leaving dollars on the table). A good real estate can make selling your home an extremely smooth experience, and will work in your best interest.
The same goes for selling your house to a local real estate investor like Mastiff Home Buyers . We offer a service to sellers and pride ourselves in doing the extra things needed to help make the sale as easy as possible. The highest priced offer isn’t always the best. Look at the terms of the deal the Kansas City home buyer offers to you and make sure that they have the ability to close on time. This includes looking for a clause in the contract that allows for assignments. These are legal clauses, but the Kansas City home buyer should have the ability to close even if they cannot assign the contract. There should not be any clauses that allow them to back out if they can’t “find a buyer” when they are supposed to be the buyer
So go out there and do your research and find a local real estate agent.
If you need to sell your house fast… we’d love to make you an all-cash fair offer.
We can make you a no-obligation offer in 48 hours or less and you can weigh that option against going with a real estate agent.
Just click the link below and fill out the short form on the next page to get the painless process rolling.