Finding a realtor

[GreyhoundsRUs]

So as not to hijack the other thread: how do you find a good realtor? Is it all word of mouth??? Is one type of realtor better if you're selling, but not if you're buying and vice versa???

[diggitydot]

I'll let you know when we find one...

[MrsSz]

::climbs back on to my soap box ::

The best way is word of mouth to be honest. However, personally, I highly HIGHLY encourage a team based approach. A real estate agent is generally one person trying to do everything and that can really make you suffer without even knowing it. For example, the team Im on has a specific contract manager. She manages every contract as soon as its accepted (through inspections and closing) and she is so valuable it's crazy. For one buyers closing there are 69 tasks for her to do. Some easier than others (emailing contracts vs negotiating inspections) but still it's a lot to keep track of. imagine if she was also trying to list properties or sell them... Most agents try to do it all to make more money and it results in things falling through the cracks and you may never even know about it. Again, because in most states there is little to no regulation.

One other thing since we've been taking about inspections and such, I can't reiterate it enough that whole home inspectors are a horrific waste of time and money. They miss things and over exaggerate things that don't need to be. If they find something they even put in the report to have a licensed contractor verify. Wtf did you just pay for then?? Individual contractors (roof hvac termite ) will be thorough and actually give you a leg to stand on when you negotiate with the seller. It'll cost you a little more up front, but ultimately it's worth it.

::climbs off soap box shaking head apologetically::

[diggitydot]

Dear gawd, I heart you for this information.

[MrsSz]

I could go on and on and on.. It's obscene the shit that goes on. The average agent across the country sells about 3.7 homes a year so they are desperate for each and every closing. So far this year (and I've been off for two weeks), I've closed 17 with 4 additional that didn't close for inspections/stupid agents on the other side. I'm not saying I'm special, I'm saying I have a support system that allows me to focus on getting the best deal for my clients and getting them into something they love.


For anyone who wants team information for their area let me know.. We have a referral network of people out of state we've dealt with and recommended and have had success with (and ones we haven't)

[SuzySunshine]

We have had 3 realtors, one of them I FLOVED, one was ok and the other was eeh.

The one that sold our residency house was a GOD SEND and she is one of the top realtors in Roch. She has a team, usually a 2nd agent that is exclusively a buyers agent and an assistant. They were all fabulous and I recommend her all.the.time. I don't know anyone that has had a bad experience with her.

The one that helped us buy this house was fine, she's a great person and we're still friends but I'm skeptical that she didn't know some of the issues we'd find in this house down the road because (unknown to us) she was friends with the owners at the time all of the remodeling was done and she has even had his company build or remodel several of her homes. I know she had no advantage to help us buy a house they no longer owned but I really have to wonder sometimes.

The one that helped us buy our residency house was eeh, we bought in '04 the market was crazy but I still didn't feel like she was really looking out for our benefits.

With all of that said, we have done two by word of mouth and they've been much better then the one we just picked off the web fresh out of med school.

[alotofyarn]

We've never sold a house, but we chose a realtor based on a recommendation from the hospital my husband is doing his residency with (although to be fair, my dad works there, and he asked someone who they recommend for new staff). We ended up switching agents because the one we contacted couldn't meet with us the weekend we were in town, so she passed us off to a colleague who knew the area we were looking at better, and she has been absolutely wonderful.

[ides]

Word of mouth. I lucked out meeting a group of women and they all knew and recommended one person. She was awesome. A total detailed hardworking perfectionist. She managed every detail and made it a smooth experience.

[SoonerTexan]

Our realtor was awful so I have no advice. If we sell I will go by owner first.

I don't know that I agree on home inspectors. I did a lot of research for ours and was pretty happy. I can't imagine the cost and hassling having a plumber, electrician, etc all out separately. We did hire an engineer separately to check our foundation because it is an expensive and common issue in our area.

[HouseofWool]

I have to say the home inspection saved my ass because there was a huge problem with the plumbing that was caught.

I will also say that the home warranty was a godsend because I ended up getting my furnace replaced for $360 under it and my heating bill dropped by $40/month immediately.

As for the realtor? There was no question of who to use. I used the mother of a good friend. I've known her nearly 25 years and she would have been crushed if I hadn't used her.

[alotofyarn]

Also, we used a regular home inspector, but we also got separate termite and sewage inspections.

[SuzySunshine]

I disagree on the inspectors as well - I will never buy a house without it being inspected. Yes you then probably have to bring in contractors to get bids, etc but I wouldn't even know what to look for/where to start without an inspector. At around $500 I think they're a bargain!

[weeniegeniewife]

I agree. We just had our beach house inspected yesterday and are meeting with him this afternoon to discuss some minor repairs. He found a small roof leak that we wouldn't have found! The house is brand-new but has been sitting empty for 5 years! No way we'd purchase it without an inspection, especially at the beach. Yikes!

[MrsSz]

Oh no I wasn't saying don't use an inspection!!! Always always always use some type of inspection whether it be whole house or individual. There are some okay whole house inspectors out there, you just have to make sure it is someone you are comfortable with... We had a huge issue with a 1 year old house.. The whole house inspector didn't get on the roof but the buyer had a roof inspector come out once the buyer realized the whole house inspector wouldn't go up (because he wasn't bonded) he called a roof guy and the roof guy found a 10k problem with the shingles..

Another thing... If you are buying an inspections come up with issues, make sure to require that repairs are done by a licensed contractor. You don't want uncle joe blow the occasional contractor to be the one who fixes your roof or hvac

[scrub-jay]

We had a structural engineer who did most of the inspection and then separate roof, air quality (mold), termite, and radon inspections. It worked very well for us.