What to Look for When Choosing a Sarasota Real Estate Agent

The housing market doesn't make it simple to buy or sell your house in Sarasota these days. Sure it's a buyers market, but unfortunately, banks are not so quick to lend money...at least not how they used to. And, a lot of the homes for sale in Sarasota are "short sales" so buyers might have to wait many months before even hearing an answer from the bank ...and that answer may be "no". Just imagine finding the ideal house, placing an offer, having your heart set on buying the house only to discover 5 months later that the bank will not accept your offer. Unfortunately, this is the reality when dealing with short sales. On the other hand, selling Sarasota real estate today is no picnic either. The reality is the supply is definitely a lot greater than the demand which will continue to keep prices low for a long time. Selling your house goes far beyond just putting a "for sale" sign in your lawn or putting your house in the classified ads. Thus, regardless if you are buying or selling a home in Sarasota, having a Sarasota real estate agent to help you out is vital when looking for a smooth transaction.

However, with so many real estate agents out there, how does one choose the right person? Here are 7 things to look for when selecting a Sarasota real estate agent.

1. Conduct an Interview

The simplest way to get to know a real estate agent is by speaking with them in person. You could talk about what they think about a specific property, talk about their qualifications, ask about their previous transactions, any problems they've had with previous deals, and find out if their personality is a good fit with yours. Keep in mind, regardless if you are buying or selling a house the chances are you will spend a fair amount of time with your real estate agent so it's best that you get along. You could also tell the Realtor what kind of communication you expect and if he or she will be able to reciprocate that expectation.

2. Qualifications

Be sure to check out the real estate agent's qualifications. Does the person have adequate experience and expertise, especially in your region? They may have an impressive record in other places, but if they have minimal knowledge in your location they won't be any help to you at all.

3. Referrals

Ask your friends and family if they would be able to recommend somebody. Ask them for information regarding their experience with the Realtor. Keep in mind, nobody knows you better than your friends and family and their is no one you can trust more with their recommendation.

4. Customer Service

A real estate agent ought to be easy to get in touch with and talk to...especially with the technology we have today. Additionally, real estate agents should be willing to work weekends. Of course everybody is entitled to their days off and we all need to be able to spend time with their family, but the fact is a Realtor's job requires working on the weekends so make certain your real estate agent is willing to do so. An agent's customer service is a reflection of how professional they are and how seriously they take the job.

5. Familiarity with the Area

This is an important point when choosing a Sarasota real estate agent. The agent that you pick should be familiar with the market in the area where you are buying or selling your home. The agent should have first hand understanding of the competition in the area, the neighborhood schools and community, and of course, the price range.

6. Access to Tools and Technology

These days your Sarasota real estate agent must do more than just list your house in the Mid-Florida MLS. Today's Realtor must list your home in all the other real estate websites like Realtor.com, Craigslist, Zillow, Trulia, Oodle and many others. Also, today's Realtor must be familiar with using YouTube and other top video websites as well as social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

7. Readiness to do Open Houses

Alright, the reality is a house is seldom ever sold via an open house. For this reason, it is not necessary for your real estate agent to do an open house every Saturday and Sunday on every weekend. Nonetheless, open houses do remind the community that your house is for sale so an open house every so often is certainly a good thing.

If you're looking for the best Sarasota real estate agent then get in touch with uKeepCommission Real Estate. At uKeepCommission Real Estate we will place your house in the Mid-Florida MLS, syndicate your listing to more than 20 other real estate websites, create and submit your virtual tour, and provide you with a professional "for sale" sign and lock box all for a one-time flat rate. To find out more on how uKeepCommission Real Estate can help you save money call 941-465-9207 or visit us on the internet at http://www.uKeepCommission.com