Hiring a real estate agent in Washington DC can be frustrating. So what are the steps to finding real estate agents in Washington DC?
Many local large real estate brokers spend thousands of dollars each month to ensure that their agents are highly visible, whether online, in the Yellow Pages or by erecting giant billboards in the most trafficked sections of Washington DC.
However, the agents backed by the most promotion dollars aren’t always the best and may not be a good fit for your circumstances. We are going to give you valuable tips on how you can find a good real estate agent in Washington DC.
[NOTE: If you need to sell your Washington DC house fast and can’t wait months for your property to sit on the local market… we may be able to help by buying your house from you. We can make you an all-cash offer within 7 minutes on your house in as-is condition.
How To Find A Good Real Estate Agent In Washington DC – Get Reviews… Real Reviews
Online reviews of real estate agents are easily manipulated and can often just be paid advertisements. It’s important to get honest reviews on any agent you’re considering and if they are reputable, they will readily provide you with references. Reviews are one of the best ways to evaluate how any real estate professional operates in the marketplace.
As a last way to check out the agent… do a Google search and type in “[name of agent] reviews” to see what pops up. If you see a bunch of bad reviews on websites like yelp, Google+ and others, you should be leery.
Ask the Right Questions Of The Local Washington DC Real Estate Agent
Ask the agent, or their 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 with which clients were pleased or particularly displeased?
- What was the asking price?
- What was the sale 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 Credentials
Check with the Washington DC 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 ask the agent how long they have been buying and selling homes and if they’re representing an agency, how long they have worked with them, including their history with other firms.
Above all, it’s important to choose a real estate agent in Washington DC that you can trust. Regular communication is extremely important when selling your home, as a house often represents the majority of your net worth. A good agent will be able to answer questions such as:
- How many inquiries have been made about my home?
- How many of these inquiries came from people likely to make a purchase (not just window shoppers)?
- What other properties in this neighborhood are for sale? What is the asking price of those homes?
Ask The Local Real Estate Agent How They Plan On Selling Your House
Sometimes going the direct route is the best, and in the case of looking for a local Washington DC real estate agent, ask them how they intend on selling your house. Usually the great agents have a marketing plan and will actively get your house out there on the market.
This Is Where Low Priced Isn’t Always The Best
Washington DC home sellers often want to go with the lowest priced option.
When you look at the numbers, if a real estate agent is earning 3% on a $100,000 sale, that’s $3,000 in fees just to one real estate agent (usually both agents representing the buyer and the seller earn commission. That isn’t cheap. Make sure you really do your research before going with a cut rate agent or a flat fee agent because that usually means that the service you’re getting is also a lower level service.
Some of the best real estate agents in Washington DC 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, look long and hard at whether you’ll be saving money long term.
The same goes for selling your house to a local real estate investor like Express Homebuyers. The highest priced offer isn’t always the best. Look at the terms of the deal the house buyer offers you. And ensure they can close on-time because every month that goes by costs you money (your mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities, etc.).
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 agent can make selling your home an extremely smooth experience and will work in your best interest.
So go out there and do your research and find a good local real estate agent.
If you need to sell your house fast, we’d love to make you an all-cash fair offer on your house.
We can make you a no-obligation offer in 7 minutes 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 begin the quick process.