Investor's Guide to Working With Real Estate Agents
Jack Sternberg
To be perfectly frank, for most of my private investing career, I thought of real estate agents an obstacle to success. Yet, here I am advocating in this article that you enlist them as partners in your investment team. What changed my mind?
Well, one day I confronted a fact of life: real estate agents are the best way to achieve investment success simply because of their knowledge and permanent place in the real estate community.
In terms of working with real estate agents, I have one ironclad rule for success: Only work with real estate agents who know what they're doing! If you don't, you're wasting your time as an investor, not to mention that of the buyers and sellers.
In this article, I'll give you seven guidelines for choosing the best real estate agents to work with in any investment situation.
Guideline #1: Choose a Full-Time Professional Real Estate Agent Avoid part-time real estate agents out there wanting commissions. Most are either mediocrities or amateurs who check in when the market is hot and check out when it slows. A good way to weed these individuals out is by asking for their experience, qualifications, sales, etc. Then, go with the real estate agents who have a demonstrated record of excellence over time.
Guideline #2: Choose a Specialist Ideally, you want a real estate agent who specializes in your particular area of investment. So, if you specialize in the single-family home market, look for an agent who has considerable experience and expertise in that area. Do the same for any market--multi-unit, commercial, retail, and/or the industrial sectors. By the way, don't just accept a real estate agent's word that he or she is an expert in a particular market. Ask for proof in terms of sales within your target market!
Guideline #3: Verify Real Estate Agent Credentials Check with your state online database and other sources to make sure the agent is fully licensed and has no citations, disciplinary actions, etc. on his or her record. If a real estate agent has ethics problems, you definitely don't want them staining your reputation, even if it's only by association.
Guideline #4: Ask For and Check Those References The gold standard in terms of proof of success can be found in satisfied customers. So, ask real estate agents for references from customers within your target market and geographical area. Then, contact those references to get a clear picture of a real estate agent's reputation and business practices. Naturally, you'll want to develop a relationship with real estate agents with good to excellent reputations for honesty and fair dealing. It'll make the entire investment process a much smoother and more profitable one for you since you'll be dealing with satisfied customers, not angry ones.
Guideline #5: Require Good Communication Skills Clear communication is the key to success in any investment deal. Seek out Real Estate Agents who listen well to you and everyone else and who keep you informed and up-to-date on all transactions. And, remember that clear communication is your responsibility as well. Make sure the Real Estate Agents you choose clearly understand your investment goals so they don't waste time bringing properties to you that have little or nothing to do with those goals.
Guideline #6: Look For Real Estate Agents with Strong People and Negotiating Skills A real estate agent can have all the experience in the world, but if he or she doesn't relate well to people, they're no help to your investment deals; they're a hindrance! Make it a point to seek out agents who are great at making everyone happy while moving people toward a deal with sound negotiating skills. To find out about a real estate agent's negotiating skills, ask former clients about how effectively the agent conducted bargaining sessions.
Guideline #7: Remember Your Own Responsibilities! Once you form relationships with great real estate agents, do your utmost to keep them on your team. Bring them good deals, not "ghost" deals that never materialize. After all, your reputation is on the line too, and you need it be a good one because that reputation will build a long-term and profitable investing career for you. real estate agents who know you're a reliable and honest investor will make it a point to bring you deals that never show up on the MLS listings or in the newspapers!
Key Point: Find the best real estate agents for your area of investment and cultivate great relationships with them. You'll both profit!
Jack Sternberg is the creator of the renowned "Buyers First Program". As the "gurus' guru", he is well known by the professional creative real estate community as "Obi-Won Kenobi". Having been a full time investor since 1977, Mr. Sternberg has been "at" the closing table more than 1,500 times. Mr. Sternberg has the depth of experience that lend value to his associations. Contact Mr. Sternberg at www.askjacksternberg.com
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