Rochester Real Estate | LOCAL Homes For Sale https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com Rochester Real Estate | LOCAL Homes For Sale | Homes for sale in Rochester, NY, LOCAL Rochester real estate listings, market data, REALTOR® info, and high quality content updated every 15 minutes! Wed, 25 Jun 2025 11:50:30 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cropped-SITE-LOGO-512-x-512-1-32x32.png 10 Signs That You’ve Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent – Rochester Real Estate | LOCAL Homes For Sale https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com 32 32 June Home Maintenance Checklist: 40+ Must-Do Tasks to Prepare Your Home for Summer https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/june-home-maintenance-checklist-summer-prep/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=20501 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> May Home Maintenance Checklist: 30 Essential Tasks to Prepare Your Home for Summer https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/may-home-maintenance-checklist/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=20484 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> April Home Maintenance Checklist: How To Prepare Your Rochester NY Home For Spring https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/april-home-maintenance-checklist/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=20364 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> March Home Maintenance Checklist: Get Your New York Home Ready for Spring https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/march-home-maintenance-checklist/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=20338 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Buy a House in New York https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/buy-a-house-in-new-york/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19906 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Sell a House in New York https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/sell-a-house-in-new-york/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19905 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Risks of Buying a Non-Warrantable Condo In New York: What You Need to Know https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/non-warrantable-condo/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19796 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Builders Should Know About Spec Construction Loans In New York https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/builders-spec-construction-loans/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19795 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Moving To The Finger Lakes Region Of New York | Guide To Relocating To The Finger Lakes https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/moving-to-the-finger-lakes-region/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19875 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Navigating the Numbers: The Pros and Cons of Using Online Home Value Estimators For New York Real Estate https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/pros-cons-online-home-value-estimators/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19794 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Role of Location in Home Valuation In New York https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/role-of-location-home-valuation/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19768 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Lowe’s vs U-Haul: A Review of Truck Rental Companies https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/lowes-vs-uhaul/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19758 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Understanding the Importance of a Seller’s Property Condition Disclosure https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/property-condition-disclosure-statement/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19632 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What are Delayed Showings and Negotiations in Real Estate In New York? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/delayed-showings-negotiations/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19547 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 8 Viable Tactics to Selling Your Home and Moving Out of State https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/selling-home-moving-out-of-state/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19542 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Unconventional Methods for Selling a House: Thinking Outside the Box https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/unconventional-methods-for-selling-a-house/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19519 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Should I Sell My House Off Market: Pros and Cons Explained https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/sell-house-off-market/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19503 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What is PITI and How Does It Affect Your Mortgage https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/what-is-piti/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19498 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How To Set A Home Renovation Budget https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/home-renovation-budget/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19490 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How Does A Co-Borrowers Credit Scores Affect A Home Purchase? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/co-borrower-credit-score/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19474 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> New Construction Final Walk-Through Checklist: Ensuring a Seamless Home Inspection https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/new-construction-final-walk-through/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19458 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Essential Tips for Pumping a Septic Tank: What You Need to Know https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/pumping-a-septic-tank/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19450 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Can You Submit Multiple Offers On Homes At Once – A Legal And Ethical Analysis https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/multiple-offers-on-homes-at-once/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19414 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Get Your Home Photo Ready for Real Estate Listings https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/real-estate-photo-ready/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19409 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Does a Home Builder’s Warranty Cover? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/home-builders-warranty/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19394 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> July 2023 Greater Rochester NY Area Real Estate Market Update https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/july-2023-rochester-ny-real-estate-market-update/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19403 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Who Pays Real Estate Commission When You Buy or Sell a Home https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/real-estate-commission/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19366 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Quitclaim Deeds: What You Need to Know https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/quitclaim-deeds/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19358 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What to Know About Selling a Home As Is for Cash https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/selling-home-as-is-cash/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19347 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Know if My House Has Paranormal Activity https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/is-my-house-haunted/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19342 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Why Find The History of a House https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/find-history-house/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19316 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> June 2023 Greater Rochester NY Area Real Estate Market Update https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/june-2023-rochester-ny-area-real-estate-market-update/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19313 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Does a Real Estate Lawyer Do? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/real-estate-lawyer/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19181 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> May 2023 Greater Rochester NY Area Real Estate Market Update https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/may-2023-rochester-ny-area-real-estate-market-update/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19162 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What to Know About Buying a Home For The First Time https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/buying-home-first-time/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19058 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> <strong>What Should a Buyer Look For at a Home Inspection?</strong> https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/what-look-for-home-inspection/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18983 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Companies That Buy Houses For Cash Reviewed https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/companies-buy-houses-for-cash/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18889 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Does Home Staging Work and What is The Cost? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/does-home-staging-work/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18814 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What to Avoid When Getting a Mortgage https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/avoid-when-getting-mortgage/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18797 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> <strong>5 Options For Replacing a Roof Reviewed</strong> https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/replacing-roof/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18771 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Are Restrictive Covenants in Real Estate? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/restrictive-covenants/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18714 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Can The Court Force The Sale of Your House in Divorce? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/court-force-sale-divorce/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18693 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Real Estate Agent vs. Broker: What&#8217;s The Difference? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/real-estate-agent-vs-broker/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18650 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How To Determine Square Feet In Your House For More Accurate Property Estimates https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/determine-square-feet/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18167 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 3 Things That Often Results in a Real Estate Agent Getting Sued https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/real-estate-agent-sued/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18133 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Top 5 Types Of Home Inspections Buyers Should Consider https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/5-types-home-inspections/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18119 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Pros And Cons Of Rent To Own Homes: What You Need To Know https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/pros-cons-rent-own-homes/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18104 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 5 Smart Things To Do Before Moving That Will Help Ease Your Transition https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/things-before-moving/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18084 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Become a Real Estate Agent https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/become-real-estate-agent/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18071 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Renting A House Or An Apartment: Which Is The Better Option https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/renting-house-apartment/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17871 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The 5 Most Important Factors To Consider When Buying A House https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/5-factors-buying-house/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17851 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Buyers And Sellers Need To Know About An Appraisal Gap https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/appraisal-gap/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17827 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Pros And Cons Of Renting With Roommates – What You Need To Know https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/renting-with-roommates/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17794 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 6 Things You Should Know About Buying Land https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/things-know-buying-land/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17773 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How Long Should Home Sellers Wait To Respond To An Offer On Their Home? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/home-sellers-wait-respond-offer/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17745 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How To Buy A House With A Low Credit Score https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-to-buy-a-house-with-a-low-credit-score/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16819 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Things To Consider When Shipping A Car https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/things-to-consider-when-shipping-a-car/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16248 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Home Depot Truck Rentals: What to Know Including Pricing https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/home-depot-truck-rentals-what-to-know-including-pricing/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16156 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 16 Things To Do Before Listing Your Home For Sale https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/16-things-to-do-before-listing-your-home-for-sale/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16138 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Biggest Home Inspection Mistakes to Avoid https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/biggest-home-inspection-mistakes-to-avoid/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16112 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How Your Credit Score Impacts Your Ability To Buy A House https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-credit-score-impacts-buying-house/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16086 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top Winter Home Selling Mistakes | 7 Errors Made While Selling A House During The Winter https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/top-winter-home-selling-mistakes/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16051 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top Winter Home Buying Mistakes | 11 Errors Made While Buying A House During The Winter https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/winter-home-buying-mistakes/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16013 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Address Change Form Should I Use At The Post Office? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/address-change-form-post-office/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15981 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Does Contingent Status Mean in Real Estate? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/what-does-contingent-status-mean-real-estate/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15956 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> DIY Renovation Ideas For Your Backyard https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/diy-renovation-ideas-backyard/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15937 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Rent Your First Apartment Guide https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-to-rent-an-apartment/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15931 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Tips For Selling A Home Virtually https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/tips-selling-a-home-virtually/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15907 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Complete Winter Storage Checklist For Your Belongings https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/winter-storage-checklist/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15885 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Should I Waive My Home Inspection When Buying A House? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/should-i-waive-my-home-inspection/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15870 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Biggest Self Storage Companies Reviewed https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/biggest-self-storage-companies/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15836 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Earnest Money and House Deposits Explained https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/earnest-money-house-deposits-explained/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15760 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Moving Mistakes To Avoid https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/moving-mistakes-to-avoid/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15568 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top Mortgage Myths | Demystifying Common Home Loan Misconceptions https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/top-mortgage-myths/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15102 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> First-Time Home Buyer Mistakes to Avoid https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/first-time-home-buyer-mistakes/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=14815 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 10 Tips For Adding Appeal To Your Home This Summer https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/10-tips-adding-appeal-to-home-this-summer/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=14237 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Exploring The Merits of Smart Home Technology When Selling a Home https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/smart-home-technology-selling-a-home/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13782 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top Frequently Asked Questions From Home Sellers https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/top-frequently-asked-questions-home-sellers/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=2424 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> First Time Home Buyer Programs In Rochester NY &#8211; Updated January 2025 https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/first-time-home-buyer-programs/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock http://rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=580 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How New Doors &#038; Windows Can Boost Your Home Value https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-new-doors-windows-boost-your-home-value/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13643 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top 5 Things To Know When Flipping Your First House https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/5-things-to-know-when-flipping-your-first-house/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13574 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Are The Best Mortgage Options for Self Employed Borrowers? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/mortgage-options-for-self-employed-borrowers/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13450 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top 10 Best Places To See Christmas Lights In Rochester NY https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/top-10-best-places-see-christmas-lights-rochester-ny/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=10236 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Are The PROs And CONs Of Multifamily Homes? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-multifamily-homes/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13219 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Low-Cost Home Improvements Should You Make Before Selling Your Home? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/low-cost-home-improvements-you-should-make-before-selling-your-home/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13114 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 15 Things Millennial Home Buyers Look At While Buying A House https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/15-things-millennial-home-buyers-look-at-while-buying-a-house/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13028 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How Does A Fence Increase The Value Of Your Home https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-does-a-fence-increase-the-value-of-your-home/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12995 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 5 Simple &#038; Low Cost Fixes To Make Your Home More Appealing To Buyers https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/5-simple-and-low-cost-fixes-to-make-your-home-more-appealing-to-buyers/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12779 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How To Improve A Homes Curb Appeal In Rochester NY https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-to-improve-a-homes-curb-appeal-rochester-ny/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12665 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 7 Ways to Create an Energy-Efficient Home While Conserving Your Budget https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/7-ways-create-an-energy-efficient-home/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12633 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Hiring Movers Vs. Moving Yourself | The PROs &#038; CONs Of Each https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/hiring-movers-vs-moving-yourself/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12592 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Should You Pay Off Student Loans Before Purchasing a Home? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/pay-off-student-loans-before-purchasing-a-home/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12531 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Should I Build A New Home Or Buy An Existing Home? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/should-i-build-a-new-home-or-buy-an-existing-home/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=2497 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Buying A Condo Vs. Renting A Condo | What Are The PROs &#038; CONs? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/buying-a-condo-vs-renting-a-condo/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12402 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 9 Money Saving Moving Tips | How To Cut Costs When Moving https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/9-money-saving-moving-tips/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12341 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Create a Proper Home Maintenance Checklist https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-to-create-a-proper-home-maintenance-checklist/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12300 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 5 Tips For Tenant Screening | How To Weed Out Bad Tenant Applicants https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/tips-for-tenant-screening/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12291 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Best Social Media Blogs For Real Estate From 2017 https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/best-social-media-blogs-2017/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12045 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Best Home Improvement Blogs From 2017 | Advice For Home Remodeling https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/best-home-improvement-blogs-2017/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12044 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Best Mortgage Blogs From 2017 | Advice For Home Financing https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/best-mortgage-blogs-2017/ Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:25 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12043 How Can I Tell If I've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent 10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you ask ten people who have recently bought or sold a home in the past 12 months, the chance that at least one of these ten people indicates they had a poor experience with a real estate agent is pretty good.  There are many mistakes home sellers make when choosing a real estate agent and the same can be said about home buyers who are hiring a buyers agent. It's possible that only once you've hired a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home you're starting to realize that you may have hired the wrong real estate agent.  There are many tell-tale signs that can indicate you've hired a DUD for a real estate agent. Below you will find 10 tell-tale signs that you should be on the look out for.  If you're buying or selling a home and you're seeing any of the below signs, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If that's the case, there is also some information below on what to do next in the event you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Lack Of Communication The number one reason why a home buyer or seller is displeased with their real estate agent is because there is a lack of communication.  First and foremost, it's important to understand that real estate agents often work long hours which are rarely consistent. There are some buyers and sellers who believe a real estate agent should be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is a belief that is crazy seeing as real estate agents have families and personal lives, however, you should expect that if you reach out to your real estate agent you should hear back from them within a handful of hours. Your real estate agent should be, at the very least, letting you know that they've received your message and they are working towards getting an answer or will be getting back to you in the next couple hours.  A tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you reach out to your real estate agent and you don't hear back from them for 24-48 hours.  This is clearly a lack of communication and can be extremely frustrating for a buyer or seller. Lack Of Confidence & Belief Confidence is a trait that top producing real estate agents will normally possess.  If a real estate agent lacks confidence in them self or doesn't believe they can sell your home, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. How can you identify if a real estate agent has a lack of confidence or belief in themselves?  If you're in the market to buy a home, you need to know what interview questions to ask buyers agents who you're interviewing.  The same can be said if you're going to be selling your home. By asking the right interview questions, you should be able to determine whether a real estate agent has confidence and belief in themselves.  For example, if you ask a prospective buyers agent how they are able to help their clients and they start stumbling over their own words, it's possible they don't believe they provide any value to the home buyers they've helped purchase a home. Don't hire this real estate agent because you feel bad for them because you will regret this decision in the future. Doesn't Listen Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it feels like everything you're saying is going in one ear and out the other?  If this is how every conversation is with your real estate agent and you feel their preoccupied with something else, you've hired the wrong one.  You're the most important person at the moment! [caption id="attachment_3158" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Not Listening Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] A very important trait that real estate agents need is strong listening skills.  If a real estate agent is unable to identify what a buyer or seller is expecting, they will fail in the business. Questions that you should expect to be asked if you've hired a top real estate agent include;
  • What is your time frame to buy/sell a home?
  • What are you looking for in a home?
  • What do you expect from me?
  • What is your preferred method of communication?
  • What improvements or upgrades have you made to your home?
If you haven't heard any of these questions, it's likely you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If the conversations you're having with your real estate agent don't seem to be going anywhere or feel like a one-way conversation, the agent is probably lacking listening skills. Lack Of Experience Experience is important in many professions.  If you were having a significant medical procedure done, would you prefer to have a doctor with 1 month of experience on the job or a doctor with 15 years of experience?  Pretty obvious you'd want the doctor with 15 years of experience and hundreds of successful past procedures.  This is no different in real estate. A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are lacking experience.  If you hire a real estate agent who is brand new out of their local academy, the chances the transaction will have some bumps along the way will be much greater than if you hire a real estate agent who has sold hundreds of homes in their career. Hiring a real estate agent who lacks experience is one of the top reasons a real estate deal falls through.  A great way to find out if an agent is lacking experience or not is to ask them for a resume or a list of the homes they've sold in the past 12 months.  If an agent cannot provide a list of homes they've sold in the past 12 months, you may want to reconsider hiring them. Unprofessional Another tell-tale sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is that they are unprofessional.  There are many things that scream unprofessional when it comes to real estate agents.  One of the biggest signs that an agent is unprofessional is whether or not they value your time.  Is your real estate agent showing up late to appointments?  Are they not showing up at all?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you've hired the wrong real estate agent. Another way to gauge whether your real estate agent is unprofessional or not is by their appearance.  If your real estate agent is showing up to appointments with ripped sweatpants, a baseball cap, flip flops, and it looks like they haven't groomed themselves in a week, you've hired a real estate agent who is unprofessional. What signs should you be on the look out for to tell if a real estate agent is a true professional?  Some of the best signs that your real estate agent is professional include;
  • Well dressed - business suits, dress slacks, polo shirts, sport jackets, dresses, dress shoes, etc...
  • Drives a "nice" car and keeps it clean and well-serviced (not rusty, no broken windows, etc...)
  • Demonstrates use of proper grammar
Too Pushy At some point in life you're likely to encounter a salesperson who is extremely pushy if you already haven't.  Buying or selling a home is a big deal and a big event.  A sign that you've hired the wrong real estate agent is when you feel like you're being pushed by your real estate agent. [caption id="attachment_3160" align="aligncenter" width="450" class=" "]Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent Being Too Pushy Is A Sign You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent[/caption] If you're selling your home and received an offer on your home and you believe the offer is a low-ball offer but yet your real estate agent is pressuring you to take the offer, you need to consider firing your agent. Bottom line, if you feel like you're being pushed to make decisions that you aren't comfortable making, it's a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent. You Feel Uncomfortable When buying or selling a home, you need to feel comfortable with your real estate agent.  During the home buying or home selling process you should feel comfortable enough to share financial and personal information with your agent. It's also extremely important you feel that your agent is looking out for your best interests, not their own bank accounts.  There are some real estate agents that will attempt to "upsell" a buyer.  An agent who attempts to make a buyer spend more money than they are comfortable with is probably the wrong real estate agent and should be avoided. Seems Desperate A real estate agent who seems like they are desperate should be avoided at all costs.  If you're selling a home and a real estate agent suggests they can sell your home for $25,000 more than any other real estate agent indicated, you need to proceed with caution with this agent. A desperate real estate agent will tell a home seller anything they need in order to "buy" the listing.  This is one of the most common real estate pricing mistakes that homeowners make.  If your real estate agent seems desperate to secure your listing or says anything to make a sale, this is a sign you've hired the wrong real estate agent! Poor Negotiator Having a real estate agent who has strong negotiation skills is critical.  Since buying or selling a home is one of the largest transactions you will experience, it's important you don't pay too much for a home or accept to little for your home. Negotiation skills are not only important when determining how much to offer for a home or negotiating the highest price for your home, but it's also important when negotiating after a home inspection.  If you're selling your home and the real estate agent you've hired is a weak negotiator, it's possible that you will end up either fixing many "nit-picky items" after a home inspection. Lack Of Marketing Skills And/Or Web Presence If you're selling a home, having a real estate agent with a lack of marketing skills and web presence can kill your home sale before it even begins.  Top producing agents understand the importance of the internet and their websites in real estate as well as the importance of having a strong marketing plan. A great way to tell if your real estate agent has a strong web presence is by performing a simple search of your real estate agents name.  If a real estate agent has a strong web presence you should find not only a well constructed website but also several highly engaging social media profiles and pages. If you're unable to find a webpage or any social media profiles for your real estate agent, you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  You should expect from your Realtor when selling your home that they will give your home maximum exposure.  Having a top performing real estate website and engaging social media profiles and pages are a great way to give exposure to your home! What To Do When You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent? If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, what should you do next?  If you've signed an agreement with the buyers agent, you need to review the agreement.  How long of an agreement did you sign?  Will you be responsible for paying the real estate agent a commission should you buy a home?  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent when buying a home, you should express to them your dissatisfaction.  In some cases, the real estate agent will release you from the buyers brokerage agreement that you've signed. If you're selling a home and signed an exclusive right to sell contract, you need to review the agreement as well.  Some real estate agents will allow a seller to break a contract prior to the expiration with certain conditions and others will not.  It's possible some real estate agents will allow a contract to be broken if the marketing and advertising costs are reimbursed by the seller. Ultimately, breaking a real estate contract is a case by case scenario.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent and you're looking to find a new one, you need to discuss with the agent you're working with or their broker. Final Thoughts Hiring the wrong real estate agent can make buying or selling a home even more stressful than it can be in the first place.  Since there are so many pieces involved in a real estate transaction, it's vital that you have a top producing real estate agent in your corner.  If you've hired the wrong real estate agent, it's important to address the concerns right away! Other Resources For Hiring A Top Producing Real Estate Agent Whether you're in the market to buy or sell a home in Rochester, NY, hiring the wrong real estate agent can be disastrous!  It's important to be aware of the above 10 signs that you've hired the wrong real estate agent.  If you haven't hired a top Rochester, NY real estate agent, contact me, and I'd love the opportunity to interview to help you buy a Rochester, NY home or sell your Rochester, NY home!
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About the authors:  The above article "10 Signs That You've Hired The Wrong Real Estate Agent" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]>