5 Things All Great Realtors Do

For many clients, locating a good realtor can sometimes feel like finding a needle in a haystack. As if buying or selling a home isn’t stressful enough, without a committed realtor the process can go from stressful to excruciating. Look for these 5 qualities in your agent so that you can help to be sure that your purchase or sale transaction is successful.

1. Return calls, emails or texts in a timely manner – For many, this concept is common courtesy. However, it may be surprising to learn just how many individuals will ignore this aspect of customer service. While it is understandable that the business can be busy, a good realtor values their own time as well as the time of their clients. With today’s technology, communication has only gotten easier. This means that while there may be occasional delays that should be forgiven, consistently being ignored isn’t something that every client will overlook.
2. Know their market – Probably the most important concept of real estate is that all real estate is local. This is crucial for any realtor to know because regardless of what is happening on a national level; realtors must focus on their own market. According to author David Lereah, knowing the ins and outs of the marketing you are targeting is crucial to purchasing decisions. Getting to know your market can be simple and rewarding through activities such as actively working with buyers and sellers on a full time basis, knowing the inventory, and knowing the community through local involvement.
3. Seek first to understand – Listening is an important piece to any type of communication. When it comes to being a realtor however, this step in the communication process could define just how successful you are. The truth of the matter is that no matter how prepared a client may feel they are, there are still a number of questions that they aren’t even aware they have. A realtor who spends their time getting to know each client will have a better understanding of how they think and therefore, anticipate questions before they even arise. Furthermore, understanding your client’s needs, concerns, motivation, and timeframe will ensure a smooth process with very few bumps in the road when timelines are much shorter. Only then will you be able to know what your client needs and if you can deliver it.
4. Come from service – All great realtors love helping people and put their client’s needs ahead of all else. This is the basis of a quality customer experience. The beauty of excellent customer service is that it can be taught. While experience does play a huge role in customer service, there are tools out there that can assist you, no matter what your profession, on your journey to becoming an expert with customers. Forbes provides ten key factors that contribute to customer service success.
5. Are not afraid to share their opinions –  Regardless of what the discussion involves, buyers and sellers appreciate your candid opinions and expertise. A buyer who has unrealistic expectations about what they can buy on a budget or a seller who wants more for their home than the market will bear, providing a client with your expert opinion is what is most valued. Although honesty may result in a few lost deals, in the long run people appreciate your honesty and this leads to more happy customers. 

Allison Ziefert is Maplewood, NJ based realtor and the #1 individual real estate agent at Keller Williams Mid-Town Direct in Maplewood, NJ. A local market expert, Allison specializes Maplewood, NJ real estate and homes and South Orange, NJ real estate and homes as well as Millburn/Short Hills, NJ, West Orange, NJ and surrounding towns. Allison’s success as a Maplewood/S. Orange realtor is driven by earning great testimonials from sellers and buyers of homes her marketplace. You can read her testimonials at www.azhomesnj.com/testimonials