I hear this question all the time. It’s a question that is way over-thought. People waste a lot of time thinking about the wrong things when selecting a representative. Here is how you should go about selecting someone to represent you. Well, this is the first step anyways. The process is so simple that people don’t even think about it. Ever hear the idiom, separate the wheat from the chaff? Here’s how you do that when selecting a Realtor.
You exclude yourself from working with real estate Agents. Then go find yourself a real estate Broker to work with. The difference between a Broker and an Agent is significant. Brokers are more educated, held to hire standards and are generally more experienced. Sure some brokers are not the greatest at what they do but they are without a doubt more educated than agents. To put this in perspective… think about this. Something like 75% of Agents fail the Brokers exam in Massachusetts the first time. This is a very high percentage, but I believe it because I see how clueless some Agents are. I have a Brokers license in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. I have to renew my Connecticut license but haven’t had the chance. Three states is really enough for me. Out of all the states the hardest exam by far was the New Hampshire exam. I didn’t take a class like I should have. I reviewed test questions and crammed for 4 weeks. I learned more on that test than any other. Everyone I know took three retakes before the state issued them a license. I would be pretty depressed if I had to retake a broker exam.
So if you need to select a Realtor, start by looking at Brokers only. It is always best to use someone you trust. Anyone can find you a property. But not everyone is a masterful negotiator. If anyone wants me to refer them to a reputable broker in any US state please drop me an email and I will see if someone in my national network can help you out in your area.
