Have you ever tried to hire a real estate agent and found it to be an absolute nightmare? Some are rude and arrogant, some are too quiet and lacking confidence. Some are pushy and intimidating, while others never get back to you when you need them. Well… we put together a few steps on how to find a good agent right here in Bakersfield, CA!
A lot of real estate brokers spend hundreds and usually thousands of dollars every month in order to make their agents as well known as possible. This marketing shows up on TV, the internet, Yellow Pages, Yelp, or sometimes on giant billboards in busy areas of Bakersfield!
However, just because these specific agents are getting a lot of publicity doesn’t necessarily mean that they are the best, or that they are the best fit for you and your situation. Today, we want to dive into how to find a good real estate agent in Bakersfield.
(NOTE: If you need to sell your Bakersfield house quickly and don’t want to wait the 3-6 months that it takes to list and sell your home, we may be able to help by buying your house from you! We can make you a cash offer for you house exactly as it is with no obligations!
How To Find A Good Real Estate Agent In Bakersfield – Check Out Their Reviews… Genuine Reviews
Online reviews for real estate agents can easily be manipulated any which way. Many times, they are just another form of paid advertising to appeal to you, the potential client. It’s important to search out true and objective reviews from agents that you are thinking about using. Any legitimate agent will gladly provide you with testimonials or contacts from recent clients.
Also, looking at reviews is one of the best ways for you to find out how a real estate pro does in the marketplace. If they have several bad reviews, or none at all, they might not be someone you want to work with. There are plenty of agents with glowing reviews from real customers, and they are the ones you probably want to work with the most!
Finally, look deeper into the agent by googling the name of the agent followed by “reviews” and see what comes up on your search. If there are several bad reviews on sites like yelp and other review sites, see how they interacted with those reviewers. Not every bad review is legit, but if the agent responded in a respectful and helpful manner, it speaks volumes to their character.
Ask the Agent the Right Localized Questions
Ask the agent (or preferably their clients if at all possible) these specific questions to test their skill as an agent and their ability to represent you as your buyer’s or seller’s agent.
- Was there any part of the buying or selling process that your clients seemed to be particularly pleased or displeased with?
- What are some specific examples of properties you have helped buy or sell?
- What was the asking price for these
- What was the final sales price?
- What properties have you represented here locally?
- Have you represented any properties similar to mine? Which ones?
These questions are important to ask in order to make sure you will have the best experience possible selling with a real estate agent. You don’t want to deal with someone who doesn’t have any track record, or worse, has a bad track record.
This isn’t to say that new agents can’t be great at what they do, but unless you know a new agent personally, it might be in your best interest to stick with someone that other people vouch for.
Verify the Agent’s Credentials
This is where you find out if there is anything legally askew with a specific agent. Look into your state’s regulatory authority for real estate in order to confirm the agent’s license. In California, this can be done at https://www.dre.ca.gov/. (This can also be a great resource to find new agents if you are still in the process of looking for one.) While on this site, you can also look into any complaints or regulatory actions against a certain agent. This can be a huge red flag if anything comes up.
Along with their credentials, it is a good idea to ask how long they have been in the business. Agent’s are required to work with a broker, so ask them how long they have been working with their particular brokerage, and if they have worked with any others. If they have worked for several different firms, that might be an indication that they don’t have a very good track record.
Most importantly, it’s important to pick an agent that you trust. Good communication is vital to a smooth transaction. A good agent will let you know how much interest your property is getting at any time, how serious is that interest, and what the market is like in that same neighborhood. These are not difficult questions, and a dependable agent will keep you informed of all this information, preferably without you even needing to ask.
Ask the Potential Agent What Their Plan is to Sell Your House
This is where being blunt might pay dividends for you. When looking for an agent in Bakersfield, California, ask them what they intend to do to sell your house that others can’t or won’t do. What is their competitive advantage in Bakersfield, and why should you work with them over anybody else? See what they say.
The best agents will have a marketing plan ready to go and will advertise your house around the marketplace in a big way!
The Cheapest Option Isn’t Always the Best
As tempting as it may be, going with the cheapest real estate agent isn’t always the best choice. Ironically, it may not even be the cheapest option in the long run. You might save an extra percentage point in commission to go with a cheaper agent, but a really good agent might sell your house for much higher than the cheap agent.
Imagine the cheaper agent want to charge 2% commission on your house, but he can only sell it for $200,000. You have to pay him $4,000 in commission, which isn’t bad. Before closing costs, your net profit is about $196,000. However, the more expensive agent wants to charge 3%, but he might be able to sell your house for $210,000! After the $6,300 commission for the agent, before closing costs your net profit is $203,700! Even though the agent charged more, he brought even more value than the cheaper agent, and chances are he provided a much smoother transaction for everyone involved! Higher commissions tend to be accompanied with higher standards and more experience, which benefits everyone involved!
This same principle applies if you wanted to sell your house with a local real estate investor like Buyers of Bakersfield. The highest offer might not always be the best offer on the table. The terms of the deal are extremely important. Make sure the company can close on time, when they say they will close, because every month that they can’t close is another month of bills that you have to pay in order to hold onto the property. Not to mention one more month of liability and headache for you to have to deal with!
Avoid sub-par real estate agents like the plague! Some of these agents could be rookies that are just saying anything to make their first sale, and they may leave thousands of dollars on the table just to make their own transaction go smoother. A great agent can make your home selling experience incredibly smooth. They will always work in your best interest, not just their own.
Do some research and find a good Bakersfield real estate agent that can sell your house for top dollar.
If you are looking to sell your house fast in Bakersfield… we would love to speak with you and make you a free all-cash offer for your house!
We can make you a no-obligation offer in 24 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.