How do buyers and sellers of homes for sale in Minneapolis go about choosing the right agent for them? So much has changed in the real estate industry and market in the last 20 years. Heck, so much has changed in the last 5 years! The requirements for disclosure, while good, are somewhat overwhelming. I encounter many agents and homeowners that say, “I remember when a purchase agreement was one page and a handshake!”. Having been a licensed REALTOR® for the better part of 16 years, I don’t remember that scenario, but many forms have jumped from being 2-4 pages when I started to now being 7 or 9 pages.
If you’re new to property purchases, I strongly suggest you interview a few agents to see who will be a good match for your personality type and desires. Some agents are just not a good fit. If you are a “touchy/feeley” type and your agent is cut and dried, you may feel brushed off or that your feelings aren’t being considered. If you’re a detail person who wants to know all the facts and your agent is talking about the karma in the house, that might not work for you. Ask some questions to make sure you have the agent that will work for you in the most comfortable and efficient way.
When buyers purchase their first property, they think they will remember the agent that helped them through that process because it’s so momentous!! If the agent is doing their job correctly, they’ve been an essential and profound influence on these buyers. But, as time wears on and people’s lives settle in to day to day routines, the memory of the agent fades in to the background. Fast forward 5-8 years and it’s time to buy the “move-up” property. Will these buyers remember the agent they had come to think of so fondly in their first experience? Sometimes they will and sometimes they won’t. Maybe they get a card from that agent once a year, or an e mail news letter or just occasional updates about the market in their area.
Frequently, in their zeal to find the new property, they will begin to look online (93% of all buyers look online FIRST) or go to open houses. They may meet an agent at the open house or through their online search. Because they’ve encountered that agent at just the right time, they may forget about contacting the other agent who was so instrumental in their first purchase, in deference to the “love the one you’re with” mentality.
It is incumbent upon us as good agents to be following up with our good clients over the years (i.e. Holiday/birthday/anniversary cards, here’s what’s going on in the market cards and e mails, newsletters, gift cards from time to time, tax alerts, etc.) And, it’s hard to know how much is TOO much. There is a school of thought that says you must be “touching” people 33 times a year in order for them to remember you and call on you for your services when the time comes. Isn’t that too much? I wouldn’t want my agent/insurance person/doctor ANYTHING to be contacting me 33 times a year! It’s a little stalker-ey, in my opinion.
Bottom line is, stay in touch when you can, but don’t make a pest of yourself. And, buyers and sellers of homes for sale in Minneapolis cities, if you liked your agent the first time around and are thinking of buying or selling a home for sale in Minneapolis cities, contact that agent to see if you’re still a good fit! I know they’d be happy to help you again and again. I know I will be happy and honored to assist my past clients again and again, and welcome any referrals they would care to send me. I encourage everyone to know and acknowledge that having the right agent is essential to a successful real estate transaction. So, don’t just “love the one you’re with”! Save that magnet or notepad your agent sends you and remember to contact them when you or those near and dear need a good agent.
Do YOU need a good agent now? Contact me today to benefit from my experience and expertise.
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