7 Tips For Finding A Sarasota Real Estate Agent

The real estate market does not make it easy to buy or sell a house in Sarasota these days. Sure it is a buyers market, but regrettably, banks are not so quick to loan out money...at least not how they used to. And, most of the homes for sale in Sarasota are "short sales" so buyers may have to wait around many months before hearing an answer from the bank ...and that response might actually be "no". Just imagine finding your dream home, placing an offer, having your heart set on purchasing the house only to discover 5 months later that the bank does not accept your offer. Regrettably, this is the reality when working with short sales. On the other hand, selling Sarasota real estate today is no walk in the park either. The truth is the supply is a lot greater than the demand which will still keep prices low for quite some time. Selling your home goes far beyond just putting a "for sale" sign in your lawn or putting your home in the classified ads. So, whether you are buying or selling a home in Sarasota, having a Sarasota real estate agent to help you out is crucial when looking for a smooth deal.

However, with so many real estate agents out there, how does one choose the right person? Listed below are seven points to look for when selecting a Sarasota real estate agent.

1. Conduct an Interview

The easiest way to get to know an agent is by talking to them in person. You could talk about what they think about a specific property, talk about their qualifications, ask about their previous transactions, any difficulties they have had with previous deals, and find out if their personality would be able to match yours. Bear in mind, whether you are buying or selling a home the chances are you will spend a reasonable amount of time with your Realtor so it's better if you get along. You may also inform the Realtor what kind of communication you are expecting.

2. Qualifications

Always look into the real estate agent's qualifications. Does the individual have sufficient experience and expertise, especially in your location? They might have an outstanding record in other places, but if they have minimal knowledge in your location they won't be any help to you at all.

3. Referrals

Ask your family and friends if they would be able to recommend somebody. Ask them for details about their experience with their Realtor. Don't forget, nobody understands you better than your family and friends and their is no one you can trust more with their recommendation.

4. Customer Service

A real estate agent needs to be easy to get in touch with and communicate with...particularly with the technology we have these days. In addition, real estate agents should be willing to work weekends. Of course everybody is allowed their days off and people need to be able to spend time with their family, but the fact is a Realtor's job requires working on the weekends so be sure your Realtor is willing to do so. An agent's customer service is a reflection of how professional they are and how seriously they take the job.

5. Familiarity with the Area

This is a critical point when choosing a Sarasota real estate agent. The agent that you pick should be informed about the market in the area where you are buying or selling your property. The agent must have first hand understanding of the competition in the area, the neighborhood schools and community, and of course, the price range.

6. Use of Tools and Technology

Today your Sarasota real estate agent has to be able to do more than just put your home in the Mid-Florida MLS. Today's Realtor must list your home in all the other real estate websites such as Realtor.com, Craigslist, Zillow, Trulia, Oodle and many others. Also, today's Realtor ought to know about using YouTube and other top video websites as well as social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

7. Readiness to Hold Open Houses

So, the truth is a house is very seldom ever sold through an open house. Therefore, it is not necessary for your Realtor to hold an open house every Saturday and Sunday on every weekend. On the other hand, open houses do help remind the community that your house is for sale so an open house every few weeks is certainly a good thing.