real-estate-agents-1180176_960_720

When choosing your real estate agent, it can be hard to tell if they are as qualified as they say they are. If you’ve been trying to sell your home for months, it may not be the home’s fault, but your agent’s. Here are a few signs of a bad real estate agent.

Lack of communication

If your agent goes M.I.A. for weeks at a time that’s the first sign that it is time to look for a new one. Even if no one has shown interest in your home by calling for a showing, or they haven’t found any homes that match your requirements as a buyer, he or she should be touching base with you regularly to keep you updated on the process. The agent is supposed to be acting on your behalf, if they are not getting back to you, you’re not a priority.

Lack of leadership

If your agent is a yes man and agrees with you on every point then you are either a real estate genius or he or she is just trying to please you. You want someone who has your best interests at heart and will represent your interests in the real estate market. When your agent comes up with a price, ask for the research that was used to produce that number. An agent that asks you the price of your home and lists it as that is a sign of trouble. Your agent is the expert, look for someone who will take the lead and will offer expert advice.

Unused resources

A good agent will use all of his or her tools to help market your home to the public. A bad agent, on the other hand, will rely on the efforts of other agents to market your home to their clients. Your agent should have professional photos taken of the home and have a well-written description. Your agent should also be marketing your home anywhere, anyway, to anyone that could possibly be interested. This includes listing it on real estate websites, local newspapers and magazines, and even creating fliers to distribute to homes in the area.

Too much pressure

You do want an agent that offers you professional and expert advice, and someone who will try to persuade you from a bad decision. What you don’t want is someone who will push you in any particular direction. When it comes to buying a home, there should no reason for the agent to want you to buy any particular home over another. If you feel like this is happening it may be because the agent is trying to get you to buy a home that is listed by him or her, which will give your agent additional commission. Most states require the buyer to be informed if there is a conflict of interest, but if you feel like your agent is not being completely open, be cautious.

Lack of follow-up

Whether you’re selling or buying a home, a good agent that goes above and beyond is one who calls to follow up past the transaction date. Since the agent, by this time, has probably already received their commission, calls for a follow-up is really providing customer service. The bottom line is, there are many great agents out there, but there are a few that just don’t measure up. If you feel your agent is not doing their best or does not have your best interest in mind, don’t be afraid to look for a new one.