How to find the best real estate agent in Atlanta (or anywhere)
If you have ever asked yourself the “how do I find the best real estate agent near me?” You’ve come to the right place… but that’s not the right question to ask. The right question is “who is the best real estate agent for me?” The short answer is there is no one “best” agent in Atlanta, your city, or anywhere, but there is a best agent for you. Why is this? Because you are the most important part of the home buying process, and you are unique. Hiring a real estate agent is a business arrangement, but it is also a relationship, and because of this, finding the person you will work best with is vital.
In this article we will talk at length about how to find that special someone, the one will make you feel safe, confident, and brave enough to take on even the craziest housing market. We will look at action steps that have been proven time and time again.
How do I know these things? Simple, I’ve been helping folks in Atlanta buy, sell, and invest in real estate for going on 4 years, BUT, before you think this is self-promotion, let me say I am not the best agent in Atlanta. Nor is anyone else. I work my butt off to be the best real estate agent in Atlanta for my clients (and my reviews show this) but I wouldn’t be the best agent for everyone. Every agent has strengths, weaknesses, and personal styles that make them the best for certain people, but not others. We will explore those features, as well as giving you questions to ask of yourself to discover what type of agent will be the best equipped to help you. (Bet you didn’t realize this blog would be a self-discovery therapy session, too!)
So, let’s dive in!
Me with lovely clients
Step 1: Find the Candidates
The best way to find your possible real estate agent candidates is to ask people who you trusts who helped them with their real estate purchases, especially if these people have similar sensibilities and temperaments to you. Ask them what their experience was like, what worked for them, what didn’t work for them, what they liked best about their client experience and what made them choose that person. And (of course) don’t forget to ask them if they’d actually recommend that person! This is an important step, don’t skip it. If they just had a so-so experience, you absolutely want to know that and perhaps consider looking elsewhere.
You can also look on sites like zillow or realtor, but keep in mind that any info you put in these platforms will be sold as leads to people who pay the highest amount for your information. Sometimes that will lead you to the right person, but many times it will lead you to big teams with tons of agents who can afford these types of leads and you will just get the luck-of-the-draw. Consider instead asking in local community or facebook groups, if you need to source more options beyond referrals from friends and family.
You also want to make sure that the professionals you work with know their market backwards and forwards. Some agents will focus hyper locally (e.g. specifically on certain neighborhoods, or subdivisions) this can be helpful if you have a very clear idea of exactly where you want to be, but it is less important if you are considering multiple areas. However, make sure to avoid using a lake real estate agent for an intown transaction, if they have no knowledge of that market.
Step 2: Ask what YOU Want
Next, you want to create a list of things that are important to you in a real estate pro and in a client-fiduciary relationship. These questions can include an array of topics, such as:
How do I like to communicate?
What values are important to me?
What energy level do I want? (more gas/go-go mentality, or more brakes/cautious mentality)
How do I want our initial interaction to look?
What questions do I want them to ask me?
Envision your ideal service professional, and and then write down adjectives describing those characteristics. Use this as a checklist to (literally) see who’s checking your boxes.
One important distinction to make is around the agent’s energy level. Some agents are more gas than breaks, the “go go go” type. Other agents are more breaks than gas, the “let’s slow down and think about this” type (this is me). The “gas” agent is great for people who have an act first, think later mentality, and want their agent to mirror that energy. They are also great for indecisive people who need a push to get moving or make a decision in their housing search. The “brakes” agent is better for those who are analytical, or want the security of knowing they are making a fully thought-out decision. It is also great for people who are ok making a quick decision, but want someone to keep them in check and prevent them from making a poor decision in haste. Reflecting on which category will help you get the best results from your search more than any other questions you ask.
Step 3: Interview
Once you’ve identified who you will talk to and what is important to you, it is time for the rubber to meet the road. However, don’t ask your questions right away. Let the agent you are interviewing introduce themselves, and present their “value proposition” up front.
Here is a trick, see how many questions they ask of you and what kind of questions those are. Do they ask about you or talk about themselves? And how does this make you feel? Some agents want to toot their own horns, some what to hear from you. You want a little bit of both, but if they just talk about themselves, they’re likely going to make the process about themselves too. Conversely, if they only ask about what you want, but never explain how they like to operate, they might not have a strong professional identity. A professional identity is important because in order for an agent to succeed they need to bring value to the table, and their identity will be based on this value.
Once you’ve heard their value proposition, make sure to ask your questions guided by the thought exercises in Step 2. Pay attention to any questions that make them uncomfortable or that they dodge. Double down on these questions.
Other good questions to ask include:
What are your professional philosophies/values?
Do you have the bandwidth to work effectively with me right now?
Do you think our home goals are realistic in this market/area?
How do you deal with buying/selling in our current market?
How does your marketing strategy differ from other agents? (for sellers)
What strategies do you use deal with multiple offer situations? (for buyers)
Who takes your marketing photos? (for sellers - seriously, this is SO important)
What lenders do you suggest we work with (for buyers)
Step 4: Seal the Deal
Once you’ve identified someone you are comfortable with, based on your initial conversations, ask them what the next steps are. Most will mention signing a brokerage agreement (the document that allows them to represent you in a transaction) however, there should be other steps as well. Whether that is a buyer consultation for buyers, or a staging consultation for sellers, there should be something in addition to the paperwork.
Breaking it Down
In short, the process should be to source some candidates that someone can vouch for, asking what is important to you, and seeing how they can respond. As I alluded to at the beginning, there is no one “best” agent, but there is a best agent for you, so never overlook your own roll in the process. You should spend as much time considering yourself and your own preferences as you spend on any of the other steps of this process. This is the real secret to having the best real estate transaction.
So, there you have it, the full guide to finding the best agent for you. If you follow these steps, I guarantee you’ll have a better real estate experience than 99% of folks who work with an agent they find in on a random website or open house.
Who will you ask for an agent referral when you are ready? If you are looking for an agent or have housing market questions, feel free to contact me any time. I am always happy to be a resource, and guide you in the direction of the right agent, whether that is me or someone else. Happy hunting!