What Makes A Great Real Estate Agent?

In addition to the baseline services they provide, great Real Estate agents have skills that set them apart from the average ones. Agents with these skills are diamonds in the rough, and they use their expertise to ensure that every client has the best financial and emotional outcome from their home sale or purchase experience.

          What skills to look for in a good Real Estate agent:

Open communication

A great agent knows the importance of good communication with their clients. That means they clearly set expectations, field questions whenever you have them, take calls when you need their help, provide feedback on everything from pricing to home improvements, and give suggestions to help you get the most money from your sale. It’s no wonder that 85 percent of sellers say that responsiveness is extremely or very important.
In addition to their communication with you, a listing agent also needs to be skilled at communicating with the buyer and the buyer’s agent. They should speak clearly during negotiations, communicate your wants and needs, and avoid making false promises to move the deal forward. They should be as responsive to the buyer’s agent as they are to you, promptly answering calls and quickly responding to showing requests.

Professional reputation

The best Real Estate agents operate a retention – and referral-based business, which means that most of their clients are repeat buyers and sellers or people referred by friends and family members. These agents are likely to have outstanding online reviews on sites like Google and Facebook. According to surveys 28 percent of sellers learn about their agent from a friend, relative, neighbor or colleague, and 23 percent have worked with the same agent before in some capacity.
A great agent will also have valuable recommendations for Real Estate stagers, contractors and other vendors who can help you get your home ready to sell.

Local market knowledge

A good agent will know what sells in your area and will know how to highlight your home’s best features to get top value. They’ll also be aware of the trends in your market and can help you determine the best circumstances to sell for more money and in less time. Research shows that 80 percent of sellers look for an agent who is an expert in their local market first.

Strong marketing strategy

Professional photography and videography: Really good agents include the services of a professional photographer in their commission fee, and sellers recognize the value in this offering. Sellers ranked having high quality photos and videos taken as the third-most valued service agents offer.
Social media marketing: Today’s top agents have a strong social media presence and are eager to post your listing on sites like Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Seventy-one percent of sellers agreed that social media marketing was an important thing for their agent to handle.
Willing to host open houses: 80 percent of sellers say hosting open houses or private tours is a valuable service. A good agent should offer to host an open house soon after your home is listed.

          What character traits make a great Real Estate agent?

In addition to their service offerings and Real Estate industry-specific skills, the best Real Estate agents are dedicated, determined and eager to help. Consider these top character traits that sellers rank as extremely or very important.

Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness is the top quality sellers say is important in an agent — it’s extremely or very important to 86 percent of sellers. A trustworthy agent won’t try to persuade you to work with them by giving you an unattainable listing price. They always set reasonable expectations, outline their responsibilities and give you time to review the listing agreement before deciding to work with them.

Sincerity

Great agents are always honest, even if it means saying things you don’t want to hear — like your home isn’t worth what you think it is or that it needs improvement. They build a relationship with you based on honesty and keeping your best interests at heart.

Integrity

Top agents put their seller’s needs above their commission. That means they will go above and beyond to move a deal forward, whether they’re physically pitching in to help get your home staged or buying a new light fixture the buyer wanted.

Work ethic

Real Estate is not a nine-to-five job, and a great agent understands and embraces this. They won’t resent clients for reaching out to them outside of traditional working hours, and they won’t take off for a vacation without telling you.

Empathy

Good agents know that sometimes plans change and not every deal works out. They’ll understand if you decide to take your home off the market, and they won’t hold you to the commission agreement if you have a change of heart.

          What makes the best Real Estate agent for you?

Services, skills and traits aside, the best Real Estate agent for you depends on your goals, your communication style, the level of support you need and your personal values. And the right agent for you isn’t always the right agent for someone else. Consider these additional attributes that can help you decide if you’ve found the right agent.

Personality match: You want an agent that “gets” you. You communicate easily with each other, they can adapt to suit your needs and you generally have a friendly, comfortable rapport.

Attentiveness: The right agent for you understands how much support you need and is honest about what they can and cannot offer. Many sellers, especially first-time sellers, are looking for someone to hold their hand and answer many questions about the process. In fact, 84 percent of sellers said they rely on their agent to guide them through the process from start to finish. Some sellers, especially the ones who have sold before, may just want an agent who can take the reins and get the house sold without much back and forth.

Similar values: 76 percent of sellers say it’s important that their agent respects their personal values.

Financial flexibility: Sellers often look for agents who are willing to negotiate their commission rate or create a custom agreement that will help them sell in a way that meets their financial needs.