How Do We Find The “Best” Realtor To Help Us In A New Location?

Dave,

We will be moving out of state, to a city where we know absolutely no one.  How do we go about finding the “best” Realtor to help us in our new location?

Thanks,

Andrew - Grand Junction

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Andrew,

Great question. There are several ways to go about finding an agent in the city where you are moving. First, if you need to sell your home here, you can ask you real estate agent to refer you to an agent in their network with their company. This typically works great, because your local agent will do their due diligence to make sure the agent in your new city is experience, professional and knows the ins and outs of your new market.  

You can also get on line and look for homes in the area and take note of names that you see over and over.  Those agents, are probably well known and well connected and have a good base of knowledge of the local market.  Be careful to just take the recommendations of “find an agent websites”, because many times the agents that are referred off these sites are not producers, they are paying the web sites a referral fee for buyer referrals, It may have nothing to do with ability, knowledge or results, but who is paying for the website for the referral. Your best bet is to find a local agent here that has connections and can find you a qualified agent in your new city!! Best of luck, I hope this helps.

Dave Kimbrough

The Kimbrough Team

Have a question? Ask Dave!

How to choose the right agent for your Grand Junction real estate goals

Hello Dave, 

Let’s assume that I have done my homework and I have decided on a Realtors office based on brand name recognition, market share, aggressive marketing, reputation and other factors. Now what? Is there a way that I can pick an agent within that company based on their success, professionalism, enthusiasm, abilities, etc.?

There are good, better and best (most productive) in any office. How can I decide who or which company is better for me to list my home with? 

Thanks,

Dave, Cedaredge

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Dave,

I could write a book answering your question, however, I am going to do my best to not be overly verbose or opinionated and stick to facts and try to be as objective as possible. First, I applaud you for doing your homework! For most people, their home is one of, if not their largest investment and it always shocks me how little “real” homework people do when choosing an agent or real estate company. If you stop and think about it, trusting such an investment with someone who does not have a proven track record just does not make sense however, people make that choice every single day! All of the qualities you listed in your question are important when evaluating agents and companies.

“Brand name recognition, market share, reputation and other factors are all key elements in choosing a real estate company and evaluating those factors should allow you to narrow down your choice in the real estate company you choose. ”

Brand name recognition, market share, reputation and other factors are all key elements in choosing a real estate company and evaluating those factors should allow you to narrow down your choice in the real estate company you choose. You mentioned aggressive marketing and I suggest you use that element of evaluation as one you use when evaluating agents, not your real estate company. The reason I suggest this is that each individual real estate agent markets their properties differently. No two agents do things just alike and to ensure your agent of choice has an “aggressive marketing” plan you MUST evaluate every aspect of how they will market your property and the vision they have for YOUR specific marketing plan.  How an agent presents and prepares your marketing plan will tell you all you need to know about your potential for success and their abilities.

When you evaluate the agent’s specific marketing plan you will learn a lot about their professionalism, enthusiasm and track record of success…or lack thereof. My suggestion would be to choose your agent on all the aspects you have listed! Trust me on this one, the level of marketing expertise and understanding displayed is likely a VERY strong indicator of your chances of a positive outcome. Just putting a property on the MLS does not cut it anymore! They should have a strong plan across many mediums like internet, social media, agent to agent promotion, direct to consumer programs, newspaper, radio, television and more. If they have this in place, you can bet they are enthusiastic about their job and work at it as a profession, not a hobby or way to collect some extra vacation money. Search for someone who is full time and HAS A PLAN for you and your property and does not simply try to lure you with the “high price” candy!  Luring a seller to list by providing a high price is the best way to take the focus away from a real marketing plan.

If the agent checks the boxes listed above, then I can almost guarantee they are productive and achieve results on a high level. Really, who doesn’t want a top level agent working on the sale of their home? I would pray that nobody ever hires an agent based on an average marketing plan or expecting an average result. Don’t settle! Follow some of the selection methods I have listed and you will find the best agent in any office or town. It is just like anything else, the cream rises to the surface and typically it’s pretty clear who performs and who doesn’t. Remember, success does leave clues. Don’t take the decision lightly as choosing the right agent or company can have a significant impact on your success or lack thereof! Best of luck.

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

Have a question? Ask Dave!

Tips for Choosing the Best Realtor to Sell Your Home

Hello Dave,

 Let’s assume that I have done my homework and I have decided on a Realtors’ office based on brand name recognition, market share, aggressive marketing, reputation and other factors. Now what? Is there a way that I can pick an agent within that company based on their success, professionalism, enthusiasm, abilities, etc.?

There are good, better and best (most productive) in any office. How can I decide who or which company is better for me to list my home with?

Thanks,

Dave, Cedaredge

---

Dave,

I could write a book answering your question, however, I am going to do my best to not be overly verbose or opinionated and stick to facts and try to be as objective as possible. First, I applaud you for “doing your homework”! For most people, their home is one of, if not their largest investment, and it always shocks me how little “real” homework people do when choosing an agent or real estate company. If you stop and think about it, trusting such an investment with someone who does not have a proven track record just does not make sense.  However,  people make that choice every single day!

All of the qualities you listed in your question are important when evaluating agents and companies. Brand name recognition, market share, reputation and other factors are all key elements in choosing a real estate company and evaluating those factors should allow you to narrow down your choice in the real estate company you choose. You mentioned aggressive marketing and I suggest you use that element of evaluation as one you use when evaluating agents, not your real estate company. The reason I suggest this is that each individual real estate agent markets their properties differently. No two agents do things just alike and to ensure your agent of choice has an “aggressive marketing” plan you MUST evaluate every aspect of how they will market your property and the vision they have for YOUR specific marketing plan. How an agent presents and prepares your marketing plan will tell you all you need to know about your potential for success and their abilities.

When you evaluate the agent’s specific marketing plan you will learn a lot about their professionalism, enthusiasm and track record of success…or lack thereof. My suggestion would be to choose your agent on all the aspects you have listed! Trust me on this one, the level of marketing expertise and understanding displayed is likely a VERY strong indicator of your chances of a positive outcome. Just putting a property on the MLS does not cut it anymore! They should have a strong plan across many mediums like internet, social media, agent to agent promotion, direct to consumer programs, newspaper, radio, television and more. If they have this in place, you can bet they are enthusiastic about their job and work at it as a profession, not a hobby or way to collect some extra vacation money. Search for someone who is full time and HAS A PLAN for you and your property.

“If the agent checks the boxes listed above, then I can almost guarantee they are productive and achieve results on a high level. Really, who doesn’t want a top level agent working on the sale of their home?”

If the agent checks the boxes listed above, then I can almost guarantee they are productive and achieve results on a high level. Really, who doesn’t want a top level agent working on the sale of their home? I would pray that nobody ever hires an agent based on an average marketing plan or expecting an average result. Don’t settle! Follow some of the selection methods I have listed and you will find the best agent in any office or town. It is just like anything else, the cream rises to the surface and typically it’s pretty clear who performs and who doesn’t. Remember, success does leave clues.

Lastly, Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. Being a father is not easy—it’s a tough job that requires leadership, dedication, patience, understanding, selflessness and unconditional love! Keep up the good work and remember it is far more important to be a dad than it is to be a friend. Friends will come and go, but your Dad will always be there! Thanks Dad.

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team