| We have all heard that age old axiom that the three | | | | features that a potential buyer is likely to ask about. |
| most important aspects of real estate are Location | | | | Sellers want to know that an agent is familiar with the |
| Location Location! This is absolutely true since real | | | | area and is likely to do the best job of marketing for |
| estate is fixed on a given spot and is influenced by not | | | | them. The home owner who has added special |
| only where it is, but also what it is and what is around | | | | features or equipment to a home wants to be assured |
| it. But what about choosing a broker or agent to help | | | | that a listing agent will recognize the benefits of that |
| you buy or sell a property? | | | | feature in comparison to other homes currently for |
| Location also applies to the people who market real | | | | sale in the area. |
| estate. Unless you live in or are planning to relocate to | | | | A city like Austin, Texas is part of a large metropolitan |
| a very small town, it is questionable whether or not a | | | | area, being surrounded by several adjacent and |
| given agent is really familiar with your neighborhood, | | | | nearby cities. Each area of town and each suburb has |
| the schools that your kids will attend, the crime rates | | | | its own cultural, economic and employment profile. It |
| there, and many other considerations. In general, while | | | | stands to reason that an agent who concentrates on |
| most agents in the larger cities have access to a large | | | | an area in the south side of town is less likely to be |
| volume of real estate information over a wide area, it | | | | completely familiar with a neighborhood in the far north |
| is next to impossible for an agent to know everything | | | | part of town or a north suburban city like Round Rock. |
| of importance about every neighborhood and property | | | | Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule, but |
| in the city. There is just too much to know and not | | | | ordinarily a client can expect the best service from the |
| enough time. | | | | local agent. |
| A competent real estate agent at a minimum should | | | | These same principles hold for rural and acreage |
| be very familiar with the properties and homes that | | | | properties. Agents familiar with the ranch land market |
| are on the market in a neighborhood along with what | | | | in one area may not be familiar with farm land or |
| has recently sold. One way they do this is to preview | | | | forested land in other areas. By example, if an agent |
| homes for sale by taking tours of open houses. This | | | | deals in ranch land, he or she is probably going to |
| allows them to know what the interiors of homes are | | | | understand the needs of buyers and sellers with |
| like and what the home has to offer, which enables | | | | horses, whereas the agent who deals primarily with |
| them to help a buyer find the right property. This also | | | | small, heavily wooded tracts that appeal mostly to |
| helps an agent to list a home for sale at the right price | | | | residents who desire maximum privacy may not be |
| by understanding the competition. It is not likely that a | | | | the right choice to list or recommend a ranch for |
| given agent is going to be able to preview every home | | | | horses. After all, you don't hire a carpet salesperson to |
| for sale all over town because in a large city, this may | | | | sell your car, so why hire an agent who isn't familiar |
| involve visiting hundreds of homes as opposed to a | | | | with your area or your needs? |
| relative handful in a given neighborhood or part of | | | | One method that internet users have discovered |
| town. And the agents who work a specific location the | | | | when searching for an agent is local directories that |
| most will often have shown many of the homes for | | | | offer the visitor a way to narrow down the possible |
| sale several times, making them even more | | | | choices of agents to contact by location or specialty. |
| knowledgeable about each one. They will know which | | | | Many large national directories do not offer this option |
| homes have the offensive wallpaper you do not like or | | | | simply because they cannot be familiar with every |
| that have the lovely landscaping you do want. They | | | | area of every city. Agents are listed simply by the |
| will know which homes are a genuine bargain and | | | | name of the city itself. In addition, any city of substantial |
| which ones are over priced. In other words, the local | | | | size is going to have hundreds to thousands of |
| agent is better prepared to show you the homes that | | | | licensed agents all competing for your business, so it |
| match your needs and desires. | | | | helps to be able to find an agent who offers his or her |
| Many real estate agents will select a certain | | | | expertise for a specific location instead of just |
| neighborhood or area of town to concentrate their | | | | everywhere. |
| efforts on. This is the area that they will study carefully | | | | Like choosing the right property, choosing the right |
| and is often the area they themselves live in. They will | | | | agent for your needs is also a matter of Location, |
| know about the quality of the local schools, availability | | | | Location, Location. |
| of shopping, recreational opportunities and other | | | | |