How do you know if a real estate agent isn’t right for you? As much as we avoid negative themes, they nonetheless occur. It is unfortunate, as the majority of real estate agents are hard-working, diligent professionals that always put their clients first. But as with anything, now and then a bad apple comes along. Occasionally, a relationship simply doesn’t work. What if you’ve hired a real estate agent to sell your property and you get the feeling you’ve made a rotten choice? You may ask yourself whether it’s you being pedantic. Are your expectations too high? Have you misjudged a situation or interaction? What if you have these thoughts but a little voice keeps nagging at you? What are the major signs that you’ve hired the wrong real estate agent? We’ll take a look at the ten indicators that tell you that you need a new real estate agent.

 

10/ Pitching Too High

If your real estate agent pitches too high a price for your property, beware! You may get an inkling that they are doing this if they come on with a dazzling spiel. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. They may display all the confidence in the world. Confidence can be infectious, but it may also be contrived. You’ll soon know if it’s the latter. Big promises are a serious warning sign that you’re dealing with a spiv and not a professional. By going way over the price, they will limit the number of people coming through the door. By putting off potential buyers, they are costing you money. Your sales campaign will become extended and incur all the costs until you address the problem. Any pitch made by your real estate agent should be backed up by solid data proving they understand your local market.

 

9/ Acts More Important Than You

An obnoxious trait of an inexperienced and yet overconfident real estate agent is arrogance. Somehow, you are the least important element in the equation, and it’s all about them. From talking over you, cutting you off, and not listening. These are real deal-breakers in terms of communication. This is a breed of real estate agent whose mind is on what model their next car is going to be. You might catch them absently gazing at their reflection in the mirror while you’re asking them a question. It makes you feel this person somehow believes life would be easier if it weren’t for you. You ask them all the questions in the world, but for some reason, they never ask you any. If your agent acts like this, find a new one fast! It is only by asking you questions that they can provide you with the correct information.

 

8/ A No-Show At Inspections

It is not only your wish for your real estate agent to be present at all home inspections; it is their responsibility. They should be on hand to welcome potential buyers with a friendly smile and a nice conversation. Every buyer will expect royal treatment. A homebuyer wants the reassurance of at least being greeted by a professional. If your real estate agent makes a habit of being AWOL on inspection days, you should blow the whistle. This is a major red flag. Their presence at inspections is more important than yours. The real estate agent must arrange for inspections. The best time is during the weekends, and if those happen to conflict with the agent’s lifestyle, you have a big minus. If your realtor isn’t scheduling enough inspections, there aren’t enough buyers coming through the door. Your agent must pique people’s interest in your home.

 

7/ Your Agent Is Too Pushy

Desperation is not a good trait in a real estate agent—it screams of, well, desperation. If your real estate agent is pushing you to sell when you aren’t satisfied, this should serve as a warning. Desperation doesn’t exist on your behalf, but entirely on theirs. They are frantic to make a deal for personal reasons. Maybe they need the money to pay an instalment on their car, or perhaps their status in the office requires it. If they’re not making enough sales, chances are you’ve got lumbered with the office ‘Gil’. Pushiness is a form of insecurity in a real estate agent, and potential buyers will see straight through them. As a seller, you need to be confident you have the right price. Do not accept a brash agent forcefully trying to convince you to sell at a price that you’re not happy with.

 

6/ Sloppy Or Unprofessional

If your real estate agent rolls up for an inspection dressed for golf and keeps checking their watch, run. Nothing is more irksome than an uncommitted agent. You can tell everything about them from the way they dress. If they treat your inspection like a casual affair, greeting buyers in flip-flops and ripped T-shirts, beware. You don’t want an agent with a flippant attitude. If they’re constantly late to appointments, or you smell booze on their breath, this is bad. If you ask for a business card and they jot down their number on a soiled napkin, this isn’t good. Take note if they have a visible smudge of white powder under their nostrils and frequently sniff. This is a tell-tale sign that your agent is a party person. A good real estate agent is fully prepared with all marketing materials. They dress shmick and behave with consummate aplomb.

 

5/ Not A Good Negotiator

The principal reason that you’ve hired a real estate agent is to seal the deal. You want the best price that you can get and a real estate agent who’ll snatch it for you. They must be at the top of their game. They need to be able to sell ice to an Eskimo. The sign of a top real estate agent is their negotiation skills. If your agent doesn’t have those, you might as well be bargaining for yourself. There is no reason for them to be paid a commission. If a pool of sweat forms around their feet while they’re haggling on your home, cut and run. This garbanzo is likely to cost you thousands and put a smug smile on a buyer’s mug. You’ll have early indications of whether they’ll fold under pressure. Do they impress you with their gift of gab? Have they got golden tonsils?

 

4/ A Marketing Magoo

When it comes to selling your home, marketing is crucial. A web presence is essential. You need your property to be listed across all the major sites. It must be displayed in all its glory, with high-quality, high-resolution features that highlight its best features. The copy must be stunning but correct, and not misleading. Likewise, the real estate website should be snazzy and alluring. If you search the web and find it buried under ten pages of returns, then it isn’t achieving brand positioning. If it looks like it was created by an amateur designer back in 2003, you’re dealing with a technologically inept person. However, the agent needs to be across all social media platforms. They need to be contactable on all the major platforms and spruik your house on them. The top real estate agents ensure that your property is marketed smartly and that it is available anywhere.

 

3/ Not A Straight-Shooter

An agent shouldn’t, by habit, blow smoke up your posterior. They’re not there to only please you. Affability is a great asset, but not if it gets in the way of telling the truth. This is indicative of a weak or disingenuous person. If hard truths are to be shared, they must bite the bullet for the sake of doing good business. If they aren’t prepared to tell you that your house is a rundown hovel, they are not helping. The agent must be willing to advise you on how best to sell your house. If that involves shattering illusions along the way, so be it. If it needs renovations and those will cost money, then you must spend it to make it. Withholding displeasing truths will only cost you dearly. It’ll mean selling for less when, with a bit of elbow grease, you could be asking for much more.

 

2/ Doesn’t Know The Local Market

Should you find yourself dealing with a clown who isn’t familiar with your local area, give them the elbow. That agent is about as much use to you as a second appendix. If they don’t know the area, then they won’t know your property’s value. There is a lose-lose situation right there. You might as well ask the neighbour’s dog to sell your house. At least he’ll know the lay of the neighbourhood. A good real estate agent is conversant with the area and its property values. They should be able to size up your house quickly and figure out how it is best marketed. A common giveaway that the agent is out of their depth is to over-value or undervalue the property. Likewise, if they spell the suburb wrong or can’t find your place without a satnav, then you should start looking for somebody else before it’s too late.

 

1/ Inexperienced

The biggest reason most real estate deals fall through is that the agent is new to the game. Sure, everybody should gain experience, but not with your property on the line. Your house is probably your greatest asset, and it’s not something you want a rookie to screw up as a learning curve. Inexperience shows, and it can be embarrassing for all concerned. From flushing bashfully when they have forgotten something important, to freezing up if you ask a difficult question. These are not the signs of a winner. They may be the greatest real estate agents alive in years to come, but let them practise on somebody else’s house. When it comes to choosing a real estate agent, there is no beating around the bush. Get right down to brass tacks and ask them for a resume of all the houses they’ve sold in the past 12 months.

 

Conclusion

Not every match is made in heaven. Sometimes people are not right for each other. There are degrees of competency in any profession, and you aren’t always going to get the best. The majority of real estate agents are highly professional and on top of their game. However, horror stories are not unknown, and you need to act fast if you’ve landed a bad real estate agent. There is always that 1% who are not equipped to cater to your very special needs. The seller should always be regarded as the most important person in the deal. Therefore, you require the best. This is where Perfect Agent can help. We take the hassle out of finding the best match for you! Contact us today.