Page 38 - The Business Council of Westchester - 2018 Relocation Guide

REAL ESTATE
How to Choose a Realtor in Westchester
I t only makes sense: Buying or selling a house is the biggest personal financial transaction most people ever make, so the individual you select to represent your interests is all-important. Choosing the right Realtor for you can make a difference not just in the key financial sense of buying or selling price but also in terms of that increasingly precious commodity called time... the time it takes to find the right house or buyer, the time spent negotiating the terms of sale, the time it takes to execute the transition of ownership, and, if you’re a buyer, the time it takes to at least functionally
understand the community you’ve decided to adopt as your home.
Fortunately, Westchester has its fair share of veteran Realtors, experts who understand county real estate literally better than anyone. Here’s what some of the best of them had to say:
IT’S A MATCHMAKING PROCESS
Choosing an agent should be treated like an interview process for a new job... almost like a Match Game challenge! It should be a positive, fun and sensible experience. Prior to that, however, make sure your Realtor knows the area of interest and find out how many homes he or she has sold in that area, as well as their number of years in business. Ask for client testi- monials — or better yet, interview past clients yourself, directly. You’ll likely get a sense whether you’re headed down the right path.
Go with what (or who) you know
Get a referral from someone you know who’s had a good experience with a particu- lar Realtor in the area you’re looking. Then, vet them. How many transactions have they
had in the last five years? Do they have a track record in the area you are searching? Determine if the prospective agent works on deals in every price range. If they do, chances are they are very well versed in getting the most for your money without compromising quality.
Additionally, check out their websites. If you are selling, in addition to market share, how close do they sell their listings to ask- ing price? There are MLS statistics for all of these questions.
Who do they know?
An agent with great resources is key. Make certain your Realtor has a solid refer- ral basis for attorneys, mortgage brokers and house inspectors who will treat you like a priority. Also, find a Realtor with an extensive vendor list, one who’s accumu- lated a solid bench of painters, carpenters, plumbers, cleaning people, even childcare.
Don’t dabble with dabblers
Many part-time real estate agents are fantastic salespeople, but it can be hit or miss. You are better off working with some who has made real estate their exclusive career for a long period of time. If someone sells real estate as their sole career, they likely care a great deal about their reputa- tion in the community they do business in, which means they are highly incentiv- ized to provide you with a good, rapid, satisfying experience.
Communication is key
You will likely be spending many hours working with your Realtor, so it’s impor- tant that they are great communicators, for multiple reasons. First, it will facili- tate your clarity on exactly where the pro- cess is at any given time. Second, a great communicator will keep both you and the other interested party in the loop and on the same page at all times so that there is more likely to be a meeting of the minds. Finally, a poor communicator can misstate or fail to mention things that create frustration for the parties involved. That frustration, on either side, can be enough to kill what would have other- wise been a smooth transaction. Anything that foments ill will turns what should be a genuinely fun, exciting experience into a burden or even a nightmare. A great Realtor can either eliminate or at least shield you from most, if not all, of that hardship.
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LIVING IN WESTCHESTER AND THE HUDSON VALLEY | RELOCATION & MOVING GUIDE
*Special thanks to Nancy Strong and Stacey Oestreich, The Strong Oestreich Team at Douglas Elliman (Armonk); Daniel Tuck, Rivertowns Realty (Peekskill/environs); and Paul Sarlo, The Sarlo Sales Team at Douglas Elliman (Armonk).
FOTOLIA