How Do I Know I Can Trust A Real Estate Agent

“How do I know the agent I’m talking to isn’t going to under-price my home for a quick sale?”

***ANSWER:
Great question. Here’s an answer that sounds like the right one, but may not be:

“Get a couple of other opinions.”

Now this isn’t necessarily a bad approach. But it doesn’t always work as you’d think. The reason is that many agents will over-price your home out of ignorance of the market, an abundance of caution, or desire to flatter you into a listing.

Here’s the answer that I think is better. I’m going to call it “REM”:

R: Agent’s Reputation
E: Agent’s Explanation
M: Agent’s Motivation

Reputation: If you work with a reputable agent, they’re less likely to under-price your home. If they did, they wouldn’t be so reputable.

Explanation: Don’t just take the agent’s word on the price they come up with. Ask for an explanation, which comps they used, how they compared, etc.

Motivation: You want an agent who is motivated by referrals, someone who wants to make you happy so you refer your family and friends to them. You don’t want a wham-bam agent who just wants to make a sale and move on. You want someone whose business is driven by referrals from satisfied clients.

Does Your San Diego Real Estate Agent Care?