Choose a Real Estate Agent
A purchase involves a lot of financial decisions, deadlines and paperwork, and it helps to have somebody next to you who has done it many times. We would like that to be us, obviously. You should still interview a few agents, so here is what we would ask in your seat.
What to ask
- Do they do this full time, and have they closed purchases like yours? A condo downtown, a house on Lake Samish and a piece of raw land in the county are three different jobs.
- Do they know the area you are interested in? Ask them something specific about it and see what comes back.
- How much time will they have for you, and are they available evenings and weekends? That is when most showings happen.
- What training do they have, and do they keep it current?
- Do they call you back quickly? When a good house comes up, a slow answer can cost you the house.
- Will they give you a list of what they have sold, or references you can call?
- Do they listen? Pick somebody you are comfortable with, because you will be talking to them a lot.
The buyer agreement
Washington now requires a broker to have a written buyer brokerage services agreement with you early on, before they do much real work for you. It sets out how long the arrangement lasts, whether it is exclusive, and how the broker gets paid. Read it, and ask about anything that is unclear before you sign. If you want a legal opinion on it, that is a question for an attorney.
What you get from us
Derek was born and raised in Northwest Washington, and there are four of us on the team. We will tell you what we think of a house, including when it is not what you were hoping to hear. You can read more about the team.
Once you have an agent, it is time to go shopping.