The way to find an Agent/Realtor in 2011

Whether you are looking for a Realtor because you have a home to sell, you are looking to purchase a home, or you are a Realtor that wants to referrer a client to you must look for something different. The times are very different and so is the way you look for a Realtor. The following is a list of negative terms, items, habits, or traits that you should avoid when looking for a Realtor in 2011.

-Agent does not text

-Agent does not have a smartphone(email phone)

-Agent still thinks the newspaper is the best place to sell a home

-Agent has never heard of a Blog or Active Rain

-Agent does not understand Facebook

-Agent does not believe in a lead system to follow up with clients

-Agent hand writes their contracts

The following terms, items, habits, or traits should be embraced by your Reatlor/Agent.

-Google the agent, you should see many things about them online and on the first page of the search

-Ask the agent what kind of phone they have and if they text message

-Ask the agent what web sites they use, what is their own web site, and if they enhance web sites

-Search for the agent on Realtor.com, Trulia.com, Zillow.com, Activerain.com, and other top real estate web searches

-Ask the agent if they use Craigslist.org

-Ask about Facebook, you want an agent that uses Facebook in an effort for people to get to know them...if they only post homes, that is an agent that does not respect their Facebook friends.

-Lead follow up is very important and a lead system will automatically remind them to check in with the client

-Ask the agent how often they check the MLS hot sheet, a good agent will look at the MLS hot sheet several times in a day and will study and know the market very well

-An agent that hand writes their contracts may leave something off and more important will probally not know how tosend itin an email.

A good Realtor should be able to supply you with a marketing plan for you or your client really quick and it should include many online search methods. An agent that uses modern tools can work smarter, get information to a client faster, and will have smoother closings. I look forward to your thoughts on this subject.