Not everyone feels the need to be besties with their real estate agent, and in turn, not every Kansas City real estate agent has the capacity to become BFFs with their clients. It is, however, important to you connect with them in a way where you have a mutual respect for each other, that you feel confident in your realtor’s expertise and that you trust them.
There are ways to feel out your Kansas City real estate agent before committing to working with them:
- Ask around! There is usually no better referral than that of a trusted friend or family member. If you remember that they had a great experience with their realtor during their last move, ask them some specific questions about their home journey and their interactions with their real estate agent. Just because they connected well with the agent doesn’t necessarily mean you will too, but this is a great starting point.
- Do your homework. Check out reviews on Google, Zillow and Facebook. If people have a wonderful experience with their Kansas City real estate agent, they’re going to share about it. They will also be sure to speak out if it was an awful experience, so this will give you a good idea of what the public has to say. It will also be telling how many reviews they have.
In addition, check out their website and supporting sites. Do they look professional? Are there endorsements on the website? Do they have professional videos and/or photos of their listings? Do you see them endorsing vendors and providing other resources for you? Are there signs they’re involved in their community?
All of these things show that they’re passionate about their jobs and their community that you’re getting ready to call home. - Interview an agent. If you’ve taken the previous two steps and think you’re ready to start working with an agent, a final step can be to ask for a consultation where you could interview them.
Your questions may vary depending on if you’re a buyer, seller or investor.
Ask questions about their historical data.
How many homes they sell or help people buy in a year.
What is their ranking within their real estate group?
Have they worked with investors before?
Ask questions about the average type of client they work with (eg. If you’re a first-time home buyer with a smaller budget, but their sweet spot is second or third time home owners with a half million dollar budget, you may feel like they wouldn’t have a lot of time or attention to give you.)
In turn, once you’ve chosen your Kansas City real estate agent and as you start the home buying or selling process, you should feel some of these things from them:
- They are accessible. Real estate moves quickly, especially in today’s market. Realtors understand that along with their flexible schedules come the need to be accessible at abnormal “work hours.” Late at night, on weekends, etc. If you’re emailing, texting and calling your agent, and having a tough time hearing from them in a timely manner, this won’t be a good fit. Showings, negotiations and contracts all happen fast and usually with tight deadlines. You want to be able to depend on your real estate agent showing up for you, physically and digitally.
- They listen to you. Your list of wants and needs in a home is critical to you. If you share these things with your realtor, yet they continue to show you properties that don’t fit the list, you’ll need to have a conversation.
If you have a firm budget, but they keep trying to convince you to look at homes outside of that budget, “because your house payment wouldn’t be that much higher,” take a step back. Are they in it for you or for a higher commission?
You want to feel seen, heard and understood. If you feel like any or all of these things aren’t happening, this agent probably isn’t a good fit for you (or anyone for that matter, but we’ll leave that topic alone). - Personalized care. It’s highly likely that your agent has lots of clients at one time, but you don’t ever want to feel that from them. If they’re putting you off or being unresponsive, or if they ever remind you that “you’re not their only client,” this isn’t a realtor you want a relationship with.
The best agents make you feel like you’re their only client. They fit the bill for the items mentioned above, and they show attention to detail when it comes to your wants and needs.
A great agent shows you appreciation in small or big ways. It could be a thoughtful closing gift, a treat to lunch during a long day of house hunting or client appreciation events that you’re invited to even after the sale.
We can’t stress enough how important the client/realtor relationship is. You’re investing way too much time and money to have a sour experience with someone you simply don’t enjoy being around or trust. And the realtor should feel the same thing!
At Dani Beyer Real Estate, we strive for a positive, professional and fun experience for all of our clients. We want it to be a good fit, and we’ll be honest with you if we feel like it isn’t! And then we’ll refer you to a trusted, capable agent. This is rare, but necessary in some instances. And we desire honest feedback from our clients which is why we ask them to leave us reviews.