Having a good real estate agent in your corner is vital for a smooth process and successful transaction. Buying or selling a home is stressful enough, and you don’t need the added stress of working with a questionable agent. There are more than two million active agents in the country, so how do you know you’ve found a good one? We’re here to help with these 6 signs you are working with a top Kauai area real estate agent.
1. Plenty of Experience
First, a top Kauai area real estate agent with have plenty of pertinent experience and a demonstrable track record of success. “A lot can go wrong in a home purchase or sale. It pays to have a seasoned agent in your corner – a professional who has helped many clients navigate the same challenges.”
So experts recommend that you look for an agent who has been working in the field for a minimum of two years. You can search an agent’s real estate license to see when it was issued, and you can also find out how long an agent has been active in the industry by checking the agent’s sales history.
You should also just ask the agent about her experience. “Ask the agent for a list of recent and past sales. This data should come from the multiple listing service (MLS) – a database most agents use to market and sell homes.” And you can contact an experienced Kauai agent at 808-634-4518.
2. Responsiveness
A top real estate agent will be responsive and willing to communicate. A good agent should respond to your calls, texts, and/or emails within 24 hours.
Selling or buying a home can be a stressful, anxiety-inducing emotional roller-coaster ride. A top agent will make it smoother by being a partner you can trust, keeping you updated at all times and helping you navigate the process. And that calls for an unwavering commitment to responsiveness.
3. Listings with Great Copy and Photos
You can also tell a lot about an agent from her listings. A top real estate agent will have compelling copy and quality photos in her online listings.
Today, well over half of home buyers find their homes online. It’s absolutely essential, then, that your agent be able to craft listing copy that is arresting and compelling, perhaps irresistible. And in this visual age, the listing photos must be top-notch and of professional quality.
4. Honesty
A very important sign that you are working with a top Kauai area real estate agent is simple honesty. Sadly, a few agents are less than fully honest and maybe even unethical.
“Honesty in a real estate agent is essential. If your agent is all gleeful promises and endless affirmations, there’s a good chance that they’re not being entirely truthful with you . . . one of the top three signs of a bad real estate agent. Whether it involves taking a hard look at your budget and what you can actually afford, or how to price your house competitively, a good real estate agent might not always tell you what you want to hear – and that’s for the best.”
A top agent will put your interests first, above her own needs. That means the agent will “tell you both the pros and the cons of a particular property, rather than giving you a big sell and putting their commission above your needs. And, on the other end of the scale, if your home needs work or upgrades to compete with other listings in the area, you need an agent who’ll tell you that, rather than a nod, smile, and assurance you that everything is just perfect and there’s absolutely nothing to worry about.”
5. Strong Network
A good real estate agent will also have a broad and strong professional network (usually as a result of many years in the game, which we mentioned early on). And that network can make your life much easier.
“When you’re working with a real estate agent, one of the benefits of having a good one is that they’ve taken the time to build and cultivate an impeccable network of associated professionals. This network can be vital to making your experience go as smoothly as possible. Financing, insurance, inspections, construction, trades, zoning, you name it, a good agent will have at least a few of these professionals in their network. That means that when you need help with something, you can turn to your agent and come away with a recommendation that you can trust.”
6. Local Experience and Expertise
Finally, we come to a very important consideration in looking for signs of a top real estate agent. And that is local experience and expertise. It’s likely that any experienced agent will prove adequate and give you the help you need. But if you want a top agent, you need one who has experience in the local market where you’re buying or selling.
According to industry pros, “it really pays to have a real estate agent who knows the area in which you’re buying or selling. They can tell you about individual neighborhoods, as well as the pros and cons of them. But even more, . . . they can help with the details, whether you have questions about property taxes, water rates, local schools, or even the availability of public transportation. All of these are vital if you’re moving somewhere you’re not familiar with, and having an agent who knows the area and can ensure that you’re not thrown off by unmet expectations, makes the entire process so much easier.”
Find a Top Kauai Area Real Estate Agent
These signs of a top agent may seem like a pretty tall order, but there are plenty of them out there. The easiest course is to go directly to a premier agency known for top-notch agents. If you want a top Kauai area real estate agent, be sure to contact us today at 808-634-4518.