Characteristics an Effective Real Estate Agent Should Have

In today’s market, real estate agents are crucial if you want to sell your home for the best price possible or buy a home you’ll enjoy for years to come.

While not every agent can help you with this endeavor (due to their lack of experience), there are certain characteristics that make a great real estate agent.

Effective real estate agents get results.

One characteristic effective real estate agents have is a strong drive to succeed. An example of being driven is an agent who finds a property that’s a great fit for a client but isn’t yet on the market. The agent will research ways to bring the owner of that property into negotiations with the client and work hard to make it happen.

Such drive is important in a real estate agent because you want an agent who won’t give up when things get tough or stop looking after they’ve found a few properties that might fit your requirements.

Great real estate agents know the market inside and out.

Your agent should have extensive knowledge of the area you’re considering. They should not only tell you where local grocery stores are and how long it takes to get to work, but also point out neighborhoods that are historically quiet, or areas undergoing development.

An effective agent will also know about upcoming school construction projects and any local events that might affect your living situation once you move in. They’ll also stay up on trends in the market, so they can advise you if now is a good time to buy or sell a home. They should be able to discuss if property taxes may increase significantly in the next few years and explain why that’s important information for you to know.

They’re patient.

Patience is an essential tool for an agent, and the most successful agents have mastered it.

Patience is necessary because the real estate market is unpredictable, and things don’t always go smoothly. Your agent needs to handle a range of personalities before, during, and even after a negotiation … in addition to stressful and unexpected situations.

• When buying, it may require multiple trips to countless properties before you find the right one.
• When selling, they’re working on your time frame and ability to clean, prep, and be available for showings.

Great agents are accountable

If they make a mistake, they’ll own it in an honest manner and work to find the best possible solution, instead of blaming someone else.

They should have a stellar reputation in terms of honoring contracts and treating customers fairly. A great question when interviewing an agent is “when is a recent time you made a mistake for a client, and how did you handle it?”

Related: Interview our Augusta and Amelia Island-based agents when you’re ready!

A great real estate agent is wonderful to work with

When communicating with an agent, you want to feel they understand. It doesn’t matter whether you’re getting your first rental or buying your second home; a good agent should be able to relate. Kindness and empathy go a long way in this regard.

You’re making a major decision in your life, so your agent needs to be someone who’s lockstep with how you prefer working and aligned with how you’re looking to make it happen.

And also: enjoyable to be around! Because you’ll be spending tons of time making the purchase or sale happen together.

Trust is also key – especially with major sums of money at stake.

As a potential home buyer or seller, you need an agent to be honest and transparent about the process and what’s happening along the way. Honesty builds trust by letting clients know exactly what they’re getting into — and when things don’t go as planned (as they often don’t), honesty also helps build understanding and forgiveness on their end.

Experience matters

Experience is important for real estate agents because it translates into expertise. An experienced agent is someone who has navigated both good markets and bad markets and knows what works. When a good agent has years of experience, they will have seen the same scenarios repeat over time, and they can help you in ways that less experienced agents won’t.

So how do you know if a real estate agent is experienced? Check their bio or look at reviews online to see if they’ve been working in real estate for several years.

It’s not always necessary that they have 10-plus years’ worth of experience. You just want to make sure they have enough expertise in the areas that matter to you, like selling homes with pools in your area or helping first-time home buyers find their dream home.

If you know your must-haves (for buying or selling), then ask an agent their recent experience with those particulars. You’ll quickly discover who’s working in the area that will benefit you most.

Tech-savvy? That’s a must.

The real estate business is continuously adopting new technology, and successful agents never fall behind. A top-tier agent makes esigning a breeze, adapts to your discovering a new home on Zillow quickly, and can find hidden gems through social media.

Plus, with MLS and other abilities to search, a tech-savvy agent will run circles around one who isn’t because they’ll be far more prepared with what they provide you.

Boundless optimism? Required.

A relentless optimist will bring a great attitude to not only work and house hunting, but also better results during negotiations.

Optimism is highly contagious, and it’s easy to understand why that would be useful for someone whose job involves working with clients day in and day out! It can be emotional for all parties involved, so having an uplifting personality in your agent makes it far more enjoyable.

The Bottom Line

Great real estate agents are skilled negotiators and problem solvers, and they thrive on finding solutions for their clients.

If you want an agent who listens to you, learns about your desires, and offers the best results possible, choose a realtor with these characteristics. Read reviews and get recommendations from trusted sources.

At Summer House Realty, we have some of the most experienced and successful agents in Amelia Island, FL, and agents in Augusta, GA. We hope you’ll interview a few of ours and discover how they’re a match for you!