When you choose a REALTOR to help you buy or sell a home, the most important criteria is finding someone with the necessary education, marketing expertise, and negotiating skills to help represent you in the best manner possible. You also want someone whose personality jives with your own. Are you analytical and just want to see the numbers? Do you get emotional and sentimental about your home? How's your sense of humor?
During the next 45 to 60 days, or longer, you very likely will have more contact with your chosen REALTOR than you will with your mother (shame on you!) and certainly more than with your 3rd cousin twice removed. It is important that your personalities are compatible. Thus, I always recommend interviewing more than one agent, or at least doing your research online and reading multiple agents' websites or blogs to get a feel for their business philosophy, experience, and personality.
One question that you might want to ask is
"So, Where do You Sell Homes?"
When a REALTOR gets their real estate license in Virginia, they are then authorized to represent buyers and sellers anywhere within the Commonwealth of Virginia. However, common sense dictates that an agent that lives and has an office in Arlington is unlikely to be selling homes 4 hours south in Roanoke. Likewise, REALTORS in Charlottesville generally won't know the market in Alexandria or Falls Church.
Even within Northern Virginia where I work, there are vastly different markets inside the region. Real estate is hyper-local. Let me repeat that. Real estate is hyper-local. That cannot be emphasized enough.
That being said, there are 2 sides to every coin.
Below is a map of the Northern Virginia region showing some of the home sales that I've made. It's a representative sampling to show the geographic scope of my business. While I've driven out to Leesburg to help clients buy a townhouse and I've sold condos in Manassas and homes in Gainesville, the majority of my business is within or just without the Capital Beltway, with the largest clusters in Alexandria and Arlington.
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Benefits of hiring a REALTOR who lives and works nearby:
- They know the area. They keep an eye on the market and know what is selling and for what price. They examine the trends, they know the streets, the models and the benefits and drawbacks of each community and housing style.
- They are readily available. Ran out of flyers? Need a reference to a local repairman? Call your local REALTOR.
- They've got lots of clients planning to buy or sell in your area.
These are all very important factors that you should weigh in your decision on which agent to hire.
Here's the other side of the coin.
Your local REALTOR may be just resting on their laurels knowing that they've got lots of sales in your neck of the woods. Maybe they don't venture outside of their comfort zone very often. Very little thinking outside the box. Someone new may do their best to succeed in your neighborhood hoping they can achieve more sales there in the future.
Remember, while choosing a REALTOR based on location can be important, it is not necessarily the most important factor. As explained above, education, expertise, experience, and skills factor in first.
I'll provide you with excellent service whether you're inside or outside of the Beltway. I'm comfortable working in neighborhoods where I've sold homes and with exploring new neighborhoods.
Give me a call at 703-626-0715 to get started or contact me online 24/7.
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Good post and I agree with you as there is so much information about an area in a city. I work a specific area.
Brian- Good points on both sides! The important thing is to ask questions and make sure you get the answers you are comfortable with.
I always tell newer agents to find one or two areas that you are comfortable with and learn everything there is to know about those areas. Better to be really good at a few than average in more. This could take several years to achieve. By doing this you have a bigger story to tell as one gathers real experience in our crazy business.
Hi Brian...Having worked in the Northern Virginia market back in the late 80's, early 90's I remember many times starting out with clients way inside the beltway and the next thing you knew you way out in Chantilly (back then it was way out) or Centreville, or Sterling, Burke, who knows where else.
I wouldn't doubt that you know those areas and many others very well.
Happy Birthday to your wife. My mom was 91 on the 10th.
Kathleen
Brian.... I think your first sentence says it all... followed by one of your last paragraphs that talks about hiring a realtor that lives and works near you. A second piece of valuable information. It's also information that is mostly common sense also. But as we know, not everyone has common sense.
On another note, what about lenders or loan officers that don't work nearby? Just curious... thanks
Brian - Living here in Texas, close is relative! LOL I won't work a listing or a buyer if it's over an hour to 1.5 hours away. I like working areas close to my home because it's where I live and I DO know the area and market. I think a lot of agents spread themselves too thin. Excellent post!
what a great visual of where you are the expert - nice job and you are right real estate is hyper local
Living in rural Virginia the market includes 10 counties. I tend to limit my expertise to 3 of these. There is plenty of real estate in these three counties to sell. Heck you are talking about a 2 hour ride from one end to the other and with gas prices being what they are it seems not only the best way to do business but definitely the most profitable.
Hi Brian personally I would take skill over location as a listing agent. I wouldn't say it is necessary to live in the town you are marketing a home in. As a buyers agent I think both traits are very important. A buyers agent needs to be familiar with more things about an area so a buyer can make an informed decision.
Brian - Hyper-local... I love it. Excellent points and a great post
Great Post !!
HYPER-LOCAL....that rocks! One more thing...if you're going with the same tired agent who has had the neighborhood buttoned up soooooo long that they have failed to keep up with the rest of the town then it could be they have quit being an attribute and have priced everything in your location too high....ie...if nothing sold in that neighborhood during high season...it's time for fresh meat.
I think that you can either know everything about a small area or know a certain type of listing across a larger area, such as knowing all the equestrian properties in several counties.
We have seen several agents from Northern Virginia and other areas within Virginia, that actually place real estate signs from those areas on listings in this area. I sometimes wonder how you can really service that listing, but I am sure they have worked that out.
SHARON: Realtors can be very successful working either a small area or a large area. I've certainly seen both.
VANESSA: Thanks for your comments.
KIM: I agree with you about learning as much as you can about the areas in which you work. As your business expands, your knowledge base and geographical scope will likely expand accordingly.
KATHLEEN: Your experience is very familiar. You never know where the next day may take you. I'll pass on your birthday wishes. Hope your Mom is doing well!
JEFF: Thanks for your comments and compliments on this post. In terms of loan officers that are out of the area, I don't see as much fuss as long as they have good experience lending in the state. Most of the financing end seems to be done over the phone, e-mail, and fax.
LINDA: Everything's bigger in Texas, right? The majority of my work is within a 30 minute radius -- though with traffic that can sometimes equal about an hour!
THESA: Thanks for your comments.
NANETTE: It's typically most profitable when working with buyers to limit your driving, especially to the areas that you know well.
BILL: You make some very good points in your comment. Thanks for stopping by.
TOM: Thanks for the compliment, my friend.
SHANNON: THANKS!
SHANNON L.: Wow, two Shannons in a row. You make some great observations there in your comment. Thanks for your thoughts.
PAM: Excellent point!
GLENDA: Interesting -- they must be friends with the sellers, or perhaps they have a second home and vacation in your area.
Want to update you on that map - it is showing the world - do you really sell in Africa ???- might want to check that link - great post though!
BARBARA JO: The map seems fine here and on my wife's computer. Maybe it's a browser problem on your end. My license to sell only extends throughout Virginia & D.C.
CHRIS: Thanks for your very nice comments. I appreicate it very much.
It is really important to hire a Realtor that knows the market and the area. You made the point well.
All the best!
KEVIN: Thanks! I appreciate the show of support.