What should you look for in real estate agents? What traits and expertise should you value, and what factors shouldn't matter when selecting the real estate agent to buy or sell Calabasas real estate?
Deep Knowledge of the Area
You don't want to hire a real estate agent who is unfamiliar with an area. You don't want them to point you toward a good home in the "bad" part of town. An almost equally bad experience is someone showing a beautiful home with a relatively low price tag because of issues with neighbors, construction or traffic. This is why you only want to work with Calabasas real estate experts who know the area very well. Hyperlocal knowledge is essential when you want to find the right property in a given community.
How does their deep well of knowledge affect the home buying process? They can find you homes that are well within the boundaries of the best schools and balance amenities with price. A well-known realtor will also have a larger number of properties in their portfolio, because they'll get referrals from people who will move for the right price but haven't put the home on MLS.
Value
Too many people try to sell their home without a realtor in an attempt to save the commission. The problem is that the buyers' agent knows this and will lower the offer on the property to take this into account. This means that a good real estate agent can save you money when you're buying a home. They'll also be able to provide valuable insight on local lifestyle matters and design flaws that you could use to cut down the price of the property.
Conversely, a realtor is invaluable when you need to sell your home quickly without sacrificing anything. For example, realtors can tap into a far broader network of potential buyers from investors to foreigners moving to the area. When you hire good Calabasas real estate agents, they'll be able to find buyers willing to pay what it is worth as quickly as possible. You don't have to go with a deeply discounted wholesaler to sell your house after a divorce, death or bankruptcy.
Personality
You should hire a real estate agent who understands your values and desires. They shouldn't show you homes that don't reflect your family's needs or is far outside of your price range. This mirrors the mistake of hiring an interior designer who renovates the home based on their preferences or what is popular at the moment while ignoring what you want and need. Referrals from people you know and trust are a plus, but if there is no chemistry between you and the real estate agent, it won't work out. After all, you can't afford to work with an agent who will show you ten houses in one weekend just to get rid of you or is slow to return calls because they prefer spending time with other clients. Chemistry and fit are as important as a real estate agent who has your best interests at heart instead of someone just trying to meet quota this month.