Today’s real estate buyers are much more educated and savvy when looking at and buying real estate. With over 80% of today’s buyers using the internet in some capacity to search for homes, according to the recent study done by the National Association of Realtors, today’s buyers require an agent that they can rely on and trust will be able to do the multiple tasks involved in the purchase of a home, and of course, in a timely manner with being able to communicate anywhere and at anytime. They need to be able to adapt to the current unique situation and be able to move and/or strike at a moments notice, in this game you cannot afford to have to wait on your agent to get back from vacation or finish their lunch. But that is only the logistical and fundamental aspect of the transaction. Today it is imperative for a buyer to work with an innovative agent that is technology and market savvy, an agent with proven systems in place and the stats and facts to back it up. With our local market of Fairfield County moving sideways in most towns at this point there are good deals out there and still some very bad ones. Your agent needs to be able to decipher and weed out the bad deals and make the good deal happen. Not always does a good one come right out of the pages and knock you across the head, your agent needs to be on top of his/her game and have the technology working for them to be able to seek out and deliver your goal of finding the perfect home along with the perfect deal in place.
With finding the perfect situation also comes the final terms & conditions and the negotiating process behind the great deal. Today’s agent needs to have a remarkable sense of professionalism and have the negotiating skills and formal training of a fine-tuned Fortune 500 salesman. They need to be using the most up to date technological tools with a proven business plan and complete systems already in place. If you find yourself feeling like you’re doing most of the work yourself or having trouble communicating with your real estate agent than it may be time to consider interviewing other agents, in my findings in the Southwestern section of Connecticut there seems to be only about 5-7% of the agents that can fit most of the qualities spoken above. Real estate can be an unbelievable investment vehicle one that reaps the benefits of true value for an extended amount of time, but only if the person driving the car can do the navigation as well. Anyone can drive a car, especially with it being fairly easy to obtain a real estate license, but only a select few can navigate through the trenches successfully. Many get into the business for a fun hobby to earn a few extra bucks, this is the biggest pitfall of all time. Do not put the fate of your biggest and most personal investment into the hands of an amateur.
Dan Firda is an agent with RE/MAX covering Fairfield and the surrounding areas. Dan has been ranked among the top agents in the state and recently received the recognition of Connecticut
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