By Dian Hymer
Imagine this: You've decided to sell your home and buy a new one. You interview several agents and select the one that you think will do the best job. A few days after you've signed the listing, you call your agent to confirm the marketing schedule. A voice mail message informs you that your agent is on vacation for a couple of weeks. This is news to you. Your anxiety level surges, and you wonder how you ended up in this miserable situation.
Interviewing is a good way to find an agent to represent you in a real estate transaction, if you don't already have an agent with whom you have a good working relationship. It's a good idea to make a list of questions to ask the agents you interview so that you don't overlook anything.
Be sure to ask the agents if they have any vacations planned during the time you plan to be working together. Agents, like all of us, are entitled to take time off. But, unlike other businesses, an agent's work isn't automatically covered when the agent is gone.
An Oakland, Calif., home seller recently listed her home with an agent who failed to inform her about his vacation plans. It turned out that the agent was gone for five and one-half weeks during the 90-day listing period.
Agents, who work on commission, are often afraid to tell prospective clients that they are taking a vacation for fear of losing business. This is a shortsighted attitude. Personal referrals are a huge source of business for career real estate agents. How likely are you to refer an agent who left you to fend for yourself? The best agent isn't the one who sells the most houses. It's the agent who has the most satisfied clients.
House Hunting Tip: If your agent is going to be away during the time you're working together, make sure that another competent agent is left in charge of your business. Ask to meet this agent before your agent leaves. If you're not happy with the substitute agent, ask for another agent. It's also a good idea to make contact with the office manager so that you know whom to turn to in case of an emergency.
One home seller insisted the vacationing agent compensate the substitute agent financially. This way the stand-in agent had a vested interest in covering the business. Make sure the stand-in agent isn't too busy to give you the attention you'll need while your agent is gone.
Some agents try to cover their business long-distance while they're vacationing. This might work satisfactorily for a day or two. But, insist that an agent who's on the scene is put in charge if your agent will be absent for longer than a few days.
Good salespeople usually put on a good show when they're competing for your business. Your gut instinct is often the best indicator of how good a relationship you will have. But, to guard against being snowed by a brilliant presentation from an insincere agent, ask for references.
Follow up and talk with several people who worked with the agent recently. Ask what they liked, and didn't like, about the working relationship. Find out if they would use the agent again.
The Closing: One of the biggest complaints about real estate agents is that they don't communicate often enough with their clients. After you've selected an agent, let him or her know that you want to be kept informed on a regular basis about your real estate endeavors.
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