If you’ve lived in Southwest Florida for long, chances are good that you know quite a bit of people in the real estate industry. This can make it quite awkward when you decide to sell your home, buy a vacant lot, purchase a new home, or make any other real estate moves. You know you can’t do it alone and need an industry professional to help. Should you go with one of these friends to help you? If so, which one? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons.
The benefits of choosing someone with whom you have a personal relationship:
What if your family member, friend, neighbor, or any other kind of buddy, really is a good agent? Use them! If you trust them and feel confident listening to them, it may be a good match. A good agent is hard to find, so if you know one, you’ll thank yourself later for using them whether they are a friend or not. If you’re 100% comfortable entering into a business relationship with them, go for it!
However, this is a big and expensive life decision. Only go with a friend or family member iif you feel comfortable telling them exactly what you like and don’t like. And remember, you run the risk of needing to fire this friend if it doesn’t go well. And that can have consequences.
The pitfalls of choosing a friend or family member:
First, it’s very important to understand that simply having a real estate license is not at all the same thing as being a full-time working real estate agent. Real estate can be extremely stressful, and so you probably won’t be at your best during this time. You need someone who really knows what they are doing, because they do it every day. While your personal relationship might seem like an important qualification, if your loved one or friend doesn’t have the other key attributes you need, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Experience with and a deep understanding of the neighborhood you’re hoping to move into, rave reviews from previous clients, and the ability to find you what you need are all absolutely essential.
How do you choose an agent to represent you if you already have a personal relationship with some who sells real estate? Sometimes you just need the assistance of a professional who doesn’t have a personal relationship with you. It all boils down to one idea- you need a great real estate agent to work with you every step of the way. Whether you knew them ahead of time or not doesn’t change their qualifications for the job. What happens when you have a personal friend or family member that is in the business and you really don’t want to use them? It’s simple- you don’t. Buying or selling a house is far too important to go with someone just because you fear the repercussions of going with someone more qualified. A wrong decision can cost you a lot of money or aggravation, or both!
There’s an old adage in real estate that says “everyone knows a Realtor.” Choosing a real estate agent is tough. At The Beattie Realty Team, we want to make it easier for you. All of our real estate professionals are friendly, knowledgeable, easy to get ahold of, and dedicated to meeting your real estate needs. Our team is making real estate dreams come true and we want your future home to be the next dream fulfilled. Don’t let the perfect house for your family be bought out from under you, or miss the opportunity to connect with the ideal buyer for your current home. Reach out to us today by Calling Mark Zinn at (239) 994-6187 or email him at mark@beattiedev.com. If your Beattie Realty team member isn’t your friend when you begin your journey, he or she certainly may be by the end!