Where do you start when you want the best Realtor to help you buy or sell real estate in San Ramon, Danville, Blackhawk and the other Tri Valley areas?
If you just arrived at Bishop Ranch, Chevron, AT&T, Oracle, Workday or one of the other large companies, chances are, you don't know the area and don't know any Realtors. You might look in the local newspaper. You will see lots of smiling faces, several with their accolades nearby or that they are #1. How do you choose? There are lots of great Realtors in the area, the key is finding a good match for your style of doing business.
Step One) Ask around for a good Realtor referral. Try to make sure the referral is not related to the person that refers them. Sometimes it is hard for people to be unbiased.
Step Two) If you get one or more recommendations, try sending them an email. See how fast they respond and how they communicate. A phone call to them is not a bad idea either, or second step if you like how they respond by email.
Step Three) Visit some open houses. This will not only get you familiar with the area, it will put you face to face with Realtors.
Step Four) Ask some open ended questions. I am looking to spend under $700,000, I work for Charles Schwab on Crow Canyon Road, so where should I start? How would you compare Danville, San Ramon and Dublin? Where and what type of property will be the safest best for resale should I need to move again?
Step Five) Think experience, communication and availability. This might be the hardest among the five steps. Some Realtors have been licensed for over 20 years, but are part time. Some have a polished "presentation", but are they a good fit for you moving forward, easy to reach when you have questions or concerns? Do they seem to be focused on you or more on the market? Some people like aggressive type Realtors and others like more of a soft sell. Some like a very detailed Realtor and others might like one that is more "big picture". Consider which type is best for you.
One additional thing to consider is how well your Realtor gets along with other Realtors. When deals are being put together, Realtor personalities and reputation can play a part. To find out how a Realtor is considered among peers may be difficult to determine, but possible. Asking other Realtors if they know the one you are considering would be a start. If you visit open houses, this is one opportunity to speak freely with other Realtors. Furthermore, this is another avenue to go when looking for a Realtor to help you, especially if you have not landed any solid referrals.
Considering agents that say they are #1 is challenging because you might need to share their time. Especially if you are looking to buy something, Realtors that have lots of home for sale may have limitations to how much time they can devote to showing properties.
For more ways to choose, here are some ideas.
1) Consider the agent versus the company. Often, an experienced agent is now the head of a smaller company after leaving a large franchise.
2) Look at the Realtor's license #. The higher it is, the newer of an agent they are. A # with 6 digits or less, not counting any zero's at the beginning often means that Realtor has been doing it a while. You can also take the # and go to the Department of Real Estate web site to see how long they have been licensed, and if they have any past reprimands or suspensions.
3) When talking by phone or face to face, which one do you feel the most comfortable with? Buying or selling is like a partnership with your Realtor for several months, the last thing you want is someone you don't connect with.
4) Your best interest. Is the Realtor focused on you or do they have distractions going on? Is the Realtor willing to work with your schedule and with your way of doing things, or do you need to adhere to their way of doing things?
If this does not help, then give us a call or send us an email. We can help you in the San Ramon Valley and some other areas, and we also know lots of Realtors around the Bay Area that might be a good fit for you.
