How to Choose a Buyers’ Agent

10 Essential Questions to Ask When Choosing a Buyer’s Agent

Selecting the right Cincinnati Real Estate Agent when buying a home is a lot like picking the perfect dog for you and your family. For some people, this is as easy as going to the local pound or shelter and saving the first dog that catches their eye and pays them any attention. For others, it’s a research and time-intensive affair comparing and contrasting different breeds, their traits, health issues their prone to encounter, lifespans, temperaments, whether to adopt one from a breed specific rescue foundation, or risk supporting the dreaded puppy mills.

With over 5,000+ real estate agents in the Cincinnati area alone, it can be daunting trying to figure out which Cincinnati Realtor is right for you. Whether you want to take the easy approach and pick the first one you come across on Zillow or you want to do a thorough investigation of someone’s track record, testimonials, and local knowledge, this post offers 10 questions you should ask every agent you’re thinking about working with.

Experience & Expertise

As a buyer, you’ll want to make sure your agent is intimately familiar with the area(s) you’re interested in and what level of experience they have working with similar clients.

An average Cincinati real estate agent . . .

Should be able to provide you with information and statistics about the local school system, whether it’s a sellers’ or a buyers’ market, prevailing interest rates on loans, and walkability scores for neighborhoods.

An exceptional Cincinnati real estate agent . . .

Will do all of that plus have the insights on pending zoning changes or a new commercial development going up nearby that may impact future home values in the area. They know that traffic on the road right outside the street of that house you love gets terribly backed up around 5:15 PM every weekday even though you’re seeing it at noon on Sunday. And they’ve already checked to see if the seller might be motivated by other means than just offer price, such as a leaseback option for a short period after closing, or a letter of intent stating why you love their home.

Everybody has a first deal or their first clients and this shouldn’t by itself deter you from working with an agent. However, if they are a relatively new agent, you’ll want to know that they have a brokerage and management staff that will be there 24/7 to answer any questions that come up. If things get hairy and time is of the essence, you don’t want to be waiting on your agent to figure out what form they have to submit and how to properly fill it out.

Client Focus & Availability

You should establish up front what your expectations are for the home search process and communication. For example, do you want your agent to comb the MLS and pocket listings available to them every day and send you a list of homes they think match what you’re looking for? Or do you prefer to use your favorite websites like Zillow and Redfin and send your agent homes you’re interested in seeing yourself? Is someone who’s juggling 6 other clients really going to have the time and energy to put forth the best effort for you and your home search needs? Are you going to be able to get in to see that hot new listing at 7:30 AM the next day or over lunch vs. waiting until the weekend when it may have gone pending already?

An average Cincinnati real estate agent . . .

Will get your contact details, areas of interest, number of bedrooms and baths, square footage, and price range you’re looking for. They’ll put all this into a generic MLS search and send you a link to your portal. They’ll tell you to let them know if you see anything that pops up that catches your fancy. You’ll have 35+ listings to sort through weekly in your inbox. You may have to wait a day or two to get into see a house you’re interested in because it’s challenging to line up your schedule with theirs. Every other time you call them, you’re leaving a voicemail or sending a follow-up text because they’re at another showing with someone else.

An exceptional Cincinnati real estate agent . . .

Is more proactive in helping you find your dream home. Whether you ask them to or not, they’re constantly networking with their peers and inside their brokerage to keep a lookout for any properties that might meet your specifications. They put out property BOLOs on Realtor-only social media groups, via email, and at local meetups to get even a day’s edge over something coming up on the market. You’re one of the first ones in the door to see a place when a hot listing goes live. And you’re getting predictive Artificial Intelligence assisted property search summaries from tools like RealScout. You don’t need to worry about getting ahold of your agent because they’re talking to you with a constant stream of updates via text, phone call, and email.

Track Record & References

Who better to tell you how good an agent is than their previous (hopefully satisfied) clients!? For new agents, you can ask for character references and/or who they will be working with as a mentor to make sure you’re getting the best advice and service. Established agents should be able to point you to a third-party website such as RealSatisfied to read ratings and testimonials from verified past clients.

Negotiation & Strategy

Negotiation is a critical step in securing the contract on a new house with terms that are beneficial for you as the buyer. And in some markets, you only get one chance to put your best foot forward before the seller selects from multiple competing offers.

An average Cincinnati real estate agent . . .

Will pull comparable sales (comps) for a house you’re interested in and give you an opinion on price based on these comps. They’ll use all of the boilerplate contract language about including the full inspection contingency, offering 1% in earnest money, and buying owner’s title insurance. You’ll get a notification that the offer was sent, and you’ll be sitting there anxiously waiting for the seller’s response.

An exceptional Cincinnati real estate agent . . .

Will work to understand both your and the seller’s motivations. They’ll explore creative deal structuring such as appraisal gaps, escalation clauses, seller-paid financing, and pseudo-cash financing like NAF Cash, to get your offer to stand out to the sellers. Calls will be made to the listing agent ahead of the offer to feel out if the sellers just want the highest price or if they’re more motivated by speed of sale or ability to push out the closing date. You won’t be waiting to hear back from the listing agent on bated breath after submitting your offer because you’ll know ahead of time you’ve got this in the bag thanks to all of the skid greasing your agent did upfront.

Network & Resources

The home buying process involves an army of people other than you and your agent. Loan originators, mortgage brokers, title agents, real estate attorneys, transaction coordinators, home inspectors, home appraisers, contractors, and property surveyors can all play crucial roles in getting a deal to the closing table.

An average Cincinnati real estate agent . . .

Will send you to the affiliated business partners with which their brokerage has a relationship. You’ll sign a disclosure up front so you know who these affiliates are. “Trust me they’ll take good care of you.” And if the plumber they recommend can’t get out to you for 5 days, you’ll be waiting.

An exceptional Cincinnati real estate agent . . .

Will give you multiple recommendations for every professional service you’ll need. And they’ll come with references and testimonials. Their phone is a digital Rollodex of local electricians, plumbers, drywallers, and painters, all with whom they’ve had positive personal experiences. You’ll get coached on what questions to ask these professionals to figure out which one will best suite your needs. And your agent will get quotes on contracting services to make sure you’re not overpaying for a repair.

Unique Value Proposition

With so many Cincinnati real estate agents out there competing for your business, it’s important to understand if there’s a unique niche or specialization that one agent has over an another. For example, some agents are masters of rooting out cash-flowing duplex and triplex deals for real estate investors, while others are known for specifically helping first-time home buyers navigate their first purchase. Regardless of what you’re looking for, any agent worth their salt should be able to tell you what sets them apart from everyone else. And maybe more importantly, they should admit if they aren’t the best ones to help you for your unique needs and instead refer you to one of their peers who is equipped to help you succeed.

I hope these questions give you some insights into what to ask the next buyers’ agent you’re interviewing. For one of the most expensive purchases of your life, you deserve to have a confident, knowledgeable, proven professional guiding you home. Remember that commission is always negotiable and look out for my future post on understanding buyer’s agency agreements and the new world we operate in post NAR-settlement for buyer-paid commissions.