Getting a Realtor in Austin: What You Need to Know

Posted by Brad Pauly on Friday, March 27th, 2015 at 9:48pm.

two stick figures shaking hands on top of a houseThere are thousands upon thousands of realtors that are out in the world. Each and every one of them is trying to sell you a home. Some might try and sell you a good home. Some will try and sell you a terrible home. Because of this, dealing with real estate can be taken as a shaky game that people play.

Pauly Presley doesn't like to play games with your home. We've invested the time and effort to make each and every realtor in Austin a genuinely great one. Since we have the knowledge on how to pick our realtors, we figured we should pass the screening process on to you. That way, when you pick a realtor, you make sure you pick the right one.

A working realtor in Austin must know Austin.

This one seems like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people go with realtors unfamiliar with their city. Austin is the best city, so why would you go with a realtor that couldn't tell you where the best school might be located? Just because a realtor seems nice and talks well doesn't mean they knows what they're talking about.

Your realtor is part-time.

While it might sound okay, consider this. If you had just had your car stolen, who would you more likely trust to recover it: the police officer who works 40-60 hours a week on crime or the officer who works only on the weekends because it's good cash? If you want the best, you want to have someone that dedicates their days (and possibly nights) to doing endless paperwork, negotiating between many different sources, and reading each word of every contract. A full-time realtor fills their days with this work.

Your realtor is taking a lower commission.

This one is a bit trickier to navigate. Taking a lower commission doesn't necessarily mean they're a shaky realtor. It is a big red flag, however. Typically, is a realtor offers to take a lower commission on the purchase or the sale of the house, it can mean bad things. It means the property is not particularly valuable or the quality of your realtor is less than admirable. In both cases, you can ask your realtor why exactly their commission rates are so low. Inform yourself and get to the bottom of it.

Your realtor is not so eager to give out their credentials.

You don't have to have awards to be a great realtor. If you do ask for any references from them about their work, make sure they answer the question. If they're not quick to say any qualifications or outstanding awards, be a bit wary. They should be willing to talk about if they're a licensed realtor in Austin or not. If they refuse to provide this, you have good concern to be worried.

Your realtor asks you if you're pre-approved for a mortgage.

This sounds abstract, but it is key. A realtor has to make sure that the house you want will sell. Because of this, a good realtor will go to the ends of the Earth to get any piece of paperwork, any inspection, and anything else accomplished. This house is their livelihood as much as it is yours. If you're dealing with a realtor that's not giving you notice about any inspections or financials with the house, start asking why not. You deserve the big picture.

At the end of the day, you want to be sure that you are getting the most honest and helpful service you can from a real estate agent. So when you decide you're ready to buy a house and move to Austin, trust your real estate needs to the experts at Pauly Presley Realty.

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