How to Hire a Rocklin Real Estate Agent | Real Estate Advice
Here’s what you need to know before hiring a Real Estate Agent in Rocklin: 
I can’t believe it’s been 10 YEARS since I last wrote a post about how to choose a great real estate agent. That’s over 10 years of blogging about local real estate advice and 22 years of being a full-time Rocklin real estate agent! While I have less hair, I have a lot more experience and helpful tips for you! While the nuts and bolts of real estate have remained pretty-much unchanged, technology and industry advancements have given buyers and sellers so much MORE information to help them hire the best real estate agent. Here’s what you need to know:
1. You could probably throw a rock and hit 3 real estate agents.
Unless you are brand new to the area, you probably know a ton of real estate agents. What sets them apart? Experience. The thing about real estate sales is SO much can happen. When you’re buying a house or getting ready to sell your own, you are getting ready to make a huge and expensive decision. You truly need an agent who understands the contracts. You wouldn’t believe how many agents lead their clients astray because they really don’t understand what they are asking them to sign! Negotiation, understanding timelines, handling adversity (that will come up, it always does) takes experience.
If you have a few real estate agents in mind, look up their license! Not only can you check to make sure they are in good standing, you will be able to see exactly when they got their real estate license. No two real estate sales are alike – experienced agents are better equipped to navigate tricky situations and keep their clients protected.
2. It’s all about the Testimonials!
All the real estate reviews you could want are right at your fingertips! The reason I love reading testimonials is because you can find out so much about the way your potential real estate agent works. Are you looking for an aggressive negotiator, a patient expert, someone who will manage the work load but keep you updated? Reviews will often give you an inside look at the way your real estate agent works. Choose someone who’s testimonials match your vision for the perfect agent!
All review sites are not alike. Use sites like Zillow who specialize in real estate or Yelp who is a review leader to search Rocklin real estate agent reviews!
3. Don’t skip the Interview.
After you identify a few agents, check the status of their real estate license, and read their reviews, it’s time to conduct some agent interviews. Don’t be daunted by this. These can be as quick or as through as you want. If you have a busy schedule and can’t meet in person, a phone interview will give you the information you need to choose a great Rocklin real estate agent.
Aim to talk to at 3 agents. This will give you a great pool to choose from. Make sure to interview with similar questions so you can best compare. Here are the top questions I get asked:
- How many homes have you sold in your career? This is a great question because even though someone has had their license for years, doesn’t necessarily mean they do a lot of business. Make sure your agent has sold at least a couple hundred homes (and at least 12 per years) or they are not considered full-time agents and probably don’t have the experience and time to best represent you.
- How much do you charge? Home buyers don’t have to worry about this question because sellers pay the full real estate commission out of the proceeds from the sale. For real estate sellers, you are in luck! While commissions have always been negotiable, I’m seeing lower and lower commissions these days. The reason is because technology has made our jobs so much easier. It’s much quicker to do almost everything these days so the cost of doing business has gone down. While 5-6% was the status-quo for many years, 4-5% is much more standard these days. That’s the total amount of commission split between the buyer’s agent and the seller’s agent.
- Can I cancel my listing? This question is for the sellers! What if your plans change and you no longer wish to sell? What if you are just not happy with your real estate agent. Does your contract say you can cancel before the expiration period? Last year I cancelled a listing because my elderly client just wasn’t ready to move in with her daughter after all. Understand if and how to cancel the listing contract before you hire an agent!
- What is your availability? The house of your dreams just went on the market and the early bird gets the worm. Is your agent available to show you ASAP? Waiting a day or two is often too late. Busy agents who cover vast areas and are stretched too thin won’t be able to drop everything to show you a new house. Agents who love to hit the ski slopes every weekend won’t be around to hold an open house. Hire a real estate agent who is quick to respond to calls, texts, and email because that is a great indicator of how available they will be while working together.
4. Go with you gut.
You’ve done your research and interviewed at least 3 real estate agents, now it’s time to listen to your little voice. Who stood out to you? What agent can you see yourself working closely with for the next few months? Trust yourself and GET EXCITED! Buying or selling a house in Rocklin doesn’t have to be stressful or scary when you have the right real estate agent by your side.
I’m Allan Sanchez, Rocklin Real Estate Agent and Broker for the last 22 years. I have sold over 600 houses in the area and I would be thrilled to interview with you!
Call/Text: (916) 205-2265 | Email: allanshomes@gmail.com
How to Hire a Rocklin Real Estate Agent | Real Estate Advice
It’s good to learn that you should hire a real estate agent that has at least 12 years of experience under their belt. My wife and I are wanting to move to a smaller house and we were wondering who we can hire to help us find the home we want. I’ll be sure to hire a real estate agent that has more than 12 years of experience in the area we want to live in.