Top 10 qualities to look for in an agent

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Buying a home is one of the most significant financial and emotional purchases of a person’s life. That’s why it is so important to find an agent that can not only help you navigate the home search process, but one who can also answer your questions and represent your needs from start to finish. Most importantly, your agent should care about your happiness and ensuring that you find the home that best fits your needs.  Here are some qualities to consider when selecting a real estate agent:

    1. Someone you like. More than likely, you will be spending a lot of time with your agent, so look for someone that you enjoy interacting with.
    2. Someone you trust. One of the best ways to find an agent who you feel you can trust is to ask friends and family for a referral. Another way to do this is to interview different agents and ask for client references.
    3. Someone who listens. While your agent can’t read your mind, they should be able to make educated recommendations and offer advice by listening closely to your needs. Make sure you talk to your agent about your priorities, what types of features appeal to you, as well as any factors that could be deal breakers. This will arm your agent with everything they need to help find you the perfect home.
    4. Qualified and experienced. Make sure your agent has the qualifications and experience to meet your specific needs. For example, some agents have more experience with short sales, while others might be experts on certain neighborhoods or types of housing.  Your agent should also be fully trained in contract law and negotiations.
    5. Knowledgeable. A great agent is someone who is out in the neighborhoods, exploring communities, visiting listings, performing marketing analyses, and collecting all the information that you need to make an informed, confident decision about your real estate needs.
    6. Honest. Your agent should be upfront and honest with you about every aspect of your home search process – even if it involves delivering bad news. The best real estate agents are more concerned about finding the right home for their clients, not just the home that brings in the fastest commission check.
    7. Local. Every community is different and all real estate is local, so it’s important to find someone who really knows the local market and can provide you with whatever information you need to familiarize yourself with a particular area.
    8. Connected. A well connected agent will have relationships with lenders, inspectors, appraisers, contractors, and any other service provider you might need during your home search.
    9. Straight forward. You want an agent who will work hard to help you find the best home, but you also want someone who will be straight forward with you about the process, the market reality, and what is realistic for you.
    10. Committed. Your agent should be in it for the long haul, meaning that they’re looking out for your best interests every step of the way, no matter how long the process takes. The best way to find an agent with these qualities is by asking around. In all likelihood, someone within your circle of friends or family will have experiences to share and professionals to recommend. You can also search for agents based on area, so you know you’re getting someone who is knowledgeable of the neighborhood(s) you’re interested in. Click here to learn more about the buying process.

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What is success?

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“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” –Albert Einstein

I’ve never really defined whatever we’ve accomplished at Windermere in terms of success or failure; rather, it is what we value.

For me it is something very simple: it’s about family, relationships and community.

It all starts with family. By that I mean both my loved ones and the family known as Windermere. We’ve had some success because we embrace the same values in our organization as we do in our family: integrity, decency, great communication, compassion and grace, to name a few. And, like any family, we have our share of disagreements, but ultimately we come together on the important issues because we have shared values.

Great relationships are a function of those same values. My best relationships come from working and playing together and sharing experiences. Whether solving a problem or celebrating anniversaries, the experiences we share add up to strong relationships. In business and family, you can only go forward with those you trust and value. It’s the relationship that counts.

Community is a by-product of family and relationships. A community is simply a larger group of people who share experiences. It can be as simple as meeting at the neighborhood coffee shop every Sunday morning with some favorite neighbors, or a reunion of several generations of family.

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