If you are buying or selling a house, you will need to find a real estate agent in New Jersey to assist you with the transaction. The decision on who you decide to work with is crucial, and can either cost or earn you money at the end of the day. Yes, it is easy to just go with the first name that comes to mind or the first person who reaches out to you to save time, but your realtor in New Jersey can determine the overall success of your entire experience. So, how do you find a real estate agent in New Jersey that is right for you?
If You’re Looking to Buy a Home in New Jersey, Talk to a Mortgage Lender
Talk to a lender to find out how much you are able to spend, because most realtors in New Jersey won’t show you a house until you do so. Setting financial limits for yourself not only saves everyone time in the long run, but it also helps set a realistic expectation of the max amount you can afford. Lastly, if you find a house in New Jersey that you want to make an offer on, you will need a pre-approval letter from your bank to do so.
Ask Around for Referrals
Now that you have an idea of your lenders down payments/rates, you can move onto actually finding a real estate agent in New Jersey that can help you. Initially, it is always good to ask around for referrals. Family and friends who have homes of their own should all have personal experiences with NJ realtors, so asking them about their services is a great place to start. Searching for one on the internet, Facebook, or Instagram is helpful as well. Even bringing up the fact that you are looking to sell your house in a random conversation could spark a referral to a reliable agent.
Learn About the Realtor’s Experience
Once you have a list of some potential candidates you want to start researching them. Have they been successful in the past? Do they have good customer service skills? Do previous clients have nice things to say about them? How fast do they sell houses?
Verify That They Understand the Real Estate Market
It’s very important that your realtor understands the market. An agent can be super successful and have an amazing track record, but DO THEY KNOW YOUR MARKET? It is crucial to verify that the agents you are interested in have experience in your market and actually know how to advertise your product. What we do at Tverdov Housing is specialize in three counties: Somerset, Middlesex, and Union county. That is what we know, and we know it well. You cannot be a jack of all trades and master of none, remember that when picking an agent!
Now that you have an idea of who is right for the job, it is time to move onto interviews. Typically, you want to sit down and interview at least three agents. In the end, the bottom line is that you should choose someone you trust. Both parties can benefit greatly from a successful purchase/sale, so it is important to have confidence in your agent. A big part of that is knowing who they are and what they do.
5 Questions to Ask Your Real Estate Agent
What are your fees?
What services do you offer?
Do you have experience in my area?
How would you appraise my home for value?
How would you go about marketing my home?
If you feel you need assistance with picking an agent or you would like the Tverdov Housing team to help you buy or sell your home in New Jersey, contact us today!