Hi from your local Kensington Realtor! One of the most common questions we get from first time home buyers is, “where do I start?” Let’s talk about a few steps to get you over the hump and out of your rental!
One of the most important decisions you’ll make in this process is hiring the right real estate agent. You’ll want someone to match your personality and approach, but you will certainly benefit from an agent who is calm and communicates clearly. So how do you find that person?
1) Pay attention when you go to open houses. By observing the agent on site, you can learn a lot about their personality and style. If you enjoy talking with them, take their card and follow up with them later to see if they are taking on new buyers. If you don’t like to be sold to, pay attention to the agents who are playing it cool!
2) Good agents have plenty of good yelp reviews. Of course you’d like someone with 5 stars galore. But pick a few of the reviews at random and read through them. Are there recurring themes like “there every step of the way” or “we still keep in touch.” Finding someone who is likely to get referrals from past clients is a great sign.
3) Check out their other online profiles. Is their website professionally done? Are they active on social media? But most importantly, are they busy? An agent who has great marketing either has a team at their disposal or has a lot of free time. Find out which!
In the end, go with your gut and pick an agent that best suits your needs. There is no contract to sign (and you don’t pay the commission as the buyer), so you can change at any point in the process. But, if you are a motivated buyer and working with a good agent, you’ll get a house soon and be thankful for their help!
For more information about buying homes in the East Bay, feel free to give Zip Code East Bay a call (510) 280-3303. Thank you!
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