Real estate article: Real Estate 101: What to Tell Your Realtor

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"Making the decision to finally purchase a home is one of the most exciting moments in your life. At the same time, it can be quite confusing and even overwhelming as you try to make the best decisions for your financial future. One way to make the process go much smoother and to alleviate your fears is to hire a real estate agent that is on the same page as you and that knows what you are looking for.

In order to make sure you are on the same page as your real estate agent, communication is key. After all, you cannot expect the real estate agent to simply know what type of home you are looking for or to understand your needs. Therefore, before you enter into any agreements or begin the house hunting process, there are several things you should tell your real estate agent.

Consider Your Long Term Plans

When making your home purchase, you should have some kind of idea of your long term plans. Of course, life doesn’t always happen the way we expect and these plans might change, but you still want to make a real estate purchase that is in line with your current goals. For example, if you will only be living in the home for five years and are hoping to sell it for a substantial profit when you are ready to move, you might want to look at different real estate than what you would look at if you are planning to live in the home until after your young children have graduated from high school.

Express Your Needs

When discussing your ideal home with your real estate agent, you need to take care to thoroughly express your needs. For example, if you currently have kids or are planning to have children in the near future, you will likely want to purchase a home that is in a good school district. On the other hand, if you are a retired couple that enjoys taking walks in the park, you should communicate this to your real estate agent so he or she can look for homes that are near to community parks.

The more you communicate about your family, your lifestyle, and your hobbies, the better your real estate agent will be capable of finding a home that is well suited to you. Although your real estate agent is not a mind reader, many are quite good at understanding the needs of their clients based on this type of information. In fact, your real estate agent may be able to make some suggestions that you hadn’t even considered while dreaming of your future home.

The more you communicate to your real estate agent, the better he or she will be able to pick out properties that will be suited to your needs. At the same time, if you notice that your agent is selecting homes that are nothing like what you are looking for, be sure to communicate this to your agent as well. Similarly, as you walk through homes with the agent, be certain to point out the features that you like and do not like. These little “hints” will help the agent get better in tune with what you are looking for in your dream home."

About the author of Real Estate 101: What to Tell Your Realtor

Eric Bramlett is the broker & co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin, Texas. Eric currently manages his Austin Realtor Guide, his Austin real estate company’s website, & his Steiner Ranch real estate Guide.