Realtors in Westminster, Maryland are not all the same, however, the process to become a Realtor is the same for everyone in MD.
You have to take the required hours of classes, sit for the National and State tests, then affiliate with a brokerage and National Association of Realtors.
From there, most brokerages require you to have a mentor for the first few transactions.
After that, it is up to each individual Realtor to pave their own path of success.
This is where the wheels can fall off the wagon.
You see, Maryland realtors get into this business with various goals. Some never desired to be full-time, just semi-part-time, seasonal, or part-time. This means the level of experience they have covers the full spectrum.
At the end of the day, you could end up selling your home for top dollar, fast, or not.
You should also note that if your property is not selling fast, it’s not necessarily the fault of your realtor. Becoming an educated seller improves your chances of choosing the right realtor and have a great experience.
Areas You Should Show Some Understanding
There are several areas to grade your Realtor, and we will go over each one below, but first I want to go over what areas a Realtor should not be graded:
- Not being able to sell your home.
There are so many factors that play into selling a home, so it’s shortsighted to think that a Realtor’s at fault in this event, in most cases.
A few things you should consider if your home is not selling includes:
- Is the property listing over-priced?
- Is my property location hurting sales performance?
- Should I get some work done on the property to increase it’s appeal?
- You also should take special note of the feedback you receive on showings.
Sending feedback after viewing the property is a professional courtesy, but it is not required.
As frustrating as it may be, if your Realtor has followed up with the Buyer’s Agent and no feedback was submitted there is not much they can do.
In the same regard, negative feedback on your property is not the fault of your Realtor. This feedback is coming from another Realtor who is speaking on behalf of their client.
If you receive negative feedback on your property you might discuss improvements that should be made to the property with your realtor.
6-Point CHECKLIST to Grading Your Realtor in Westminster, Maryland
The areas where each Realtor should be graded and where you should determine if they are a good fit for you are the following:
Do you have open and strong communication?
While certain things are out of the Realtor’s control, being able to frequently and effectively communicate each situation and give updates as needed to their clients is essential.
You should ask them how they communicate best – by phone, email, etc. And you should ask how often should you expect updates on what’s going on.
What areas do you specialize in?
Every area across any city will have its own nuances that a seasoned Realtor in Westminster, Maryland, who’s been working that area will take into consideration when selling your property.
If they don’t know much about the area you are buying or selling in, they won’t take into account certain factors that may be important to get things moving.
If you are in the market for an investment property, you want to ensure they specialize in selling investment properties.
Specialty also includes certain types of properties – million dollar plus homes, homes in the 300s – 500s, multi-unit properties, rental properties, commercial office space, etc.
Do they know the addendums, the assessments and any other unique features of the County in which you want to buy or sell?
Just because a Realtor is licensed in all of Maryland, doesn’t mean they should sell in all of Maryland.
How long have you been selling real estate?
While it’s not always true that the 30-year veteran will have the insights needed for your specific situation, you want to work with someone who’s been around the block a few times and is keenly aware of all the potholes.
It’s important that your realtor has an answer for any situation that may arise in your situation.
Can you help me with my unique situation?
All property sales are not equal. When selling a property, there are many different situations that may arise in various situations.
There are certain situations that arise from an estate sale, foreclosure, investment property flip, long-term rental property and more.
Do you have time to help me sell my property?
Let’s face it, realtors get busy. If they take on more clients than they have time to really work for, then you could end up in a situation where they’re not able to spend the time needed to sell your property.
You can also ask them what their average number of clients currently is.
Because if you work with a realtor who’s not working for you, this can be like purgatory for you. You may be locked into a contract with a realtor who says they’re working for you but aren’t.
So, be sure to ask this question before signing the dotted line.
Do you have a list of recommended service providers?
It’s helpful to pull on the experience of a realtor who has a recommended list of other housing professionals that may simplify your search.
Home inspectors, plumbers, landscapers, roofers, electricians, property assessors, painters, and more, may populate the list of recommended vendors of your realtor.
These are some of the questions you should ask when choosing a realtor to ensure you get the best possible realtor to represent your property.
What question have you asked a Realtor in Westminster, Maryland that helped in selecting the best professional?
