Obviously, you want to work with a good real estate agent.
One that will be honest and transparent, one that will have your best interest at heart, and one that knows the New England market well.
You don’t want to work with a pushy real estate agent who just wants to make a quick buck.
Unfortunately, those real estate agents do exist.
And to help you avoid working with a bad real estate agent, we’re going to show you 7 red flags to watch out for.
Here they are!
Want to skip the real estate agent altogether? At Old Harbor Properties, we buy homes in a New England for a fair cash price. We can even close in as little as two weeks and pay all closing costs! Give us a call at (781) 549-0271 if you want to learn more about our process.
1. Missing Deadlines
During your time working with a real estate agent, there will be a lot of deadlines — appraisal deadlines, paperwork deadlines, and negotiation deadlines.
It’s critical that your real estate agent takes these deadlines seriously.
If the agent you’re considering working with is late to meetings or doesn’t do things on time, then it’s probably best to find a different real estate agent.
2. Honest Communication
It might sound counterintuitive, but the best real estate agents are the ones who are comfortable telling you things that you don’t want to hear — the ones who are honest.
Because when you’re trying to get a good price for your home, you don’t need someone overpricing it, giving you unrealistic expectations, or telling you things that aren’t true.
You need honesty and transparency.
Unfortunately, some real estate agents make a living by talking a good talk and creating exciting expectations that they know they won’t be able to fulfill… but that convince people to work with them.
So be wary of realtors who look like they’re trying to impress you.
3. Real Estate is Their “Side Gig”
We’re all for entrepreneurs having side-gigs…
But how much of an expert can you really be at something if it’s only your “side gig”?
Answer: probably not as good as the people who make it their “full time gig”.
Ideally, work with a real estate agent who’s been working in New England for years or even decades, ask them about their past experience, and shy away from realtors who seem like they lack the time or experience to get you the best possible results.
4. Lack of Confidence
People can smell a person’s lack of confidence from miles away.
You can. And so can potential buyers.
But having quiet confidence is paramount for great real estate agents — they must remain level-headed during negotiations, honest during difficult situations, and transparent about how they can help you.
If you can tell that the realtor lacks confidence in their own abilities, steer clear.
5. Can’t Answer Questions
Is the real estate agent having trouble answering your questions?
Or maybe they’re outright ignoring your questions?
Yikes.
That means you’ve found a real estate agent who either doesn’t have very much experience in New England or one who doesn’t care all that much about helping you.
Both situations are bad.
Instead, find a real estate agent who understands New England really well and who can answer all of your questions to your satisfaction.
6. Unsure Negotiations
Try asking your real estate agent these questions…
- How much do you think we should sell for?
- How long will negotiations take?
- What’s the least we should sell for?
- What should be our starting sales price?
Your real estate agent should have clear recommendations — but they should also be willing to listen to your suggestions or concerns.
During the negotiations process, you need a real estate agent who is going to respect your wishes and fight for you to get the best possible price.
But someone who’s unsure of themselves, someone who doesn’t understand the market all that well, or someone who is bad with conflict… they won’t negotiate very competently.
So be careful of working with real estate agents who answer those questions with a lack of clarity and expertise.
7. Lies
This one should be obvious but we’re going to say it anyway.
Don’t work with a real estate agent who lies to you. Period.
If you catch a real estate agent being dishonest — even if they try to backpedal after you confront them about it — cut ties.
Selling your home is something that requires honesty and clear communication — you don’t have time for realtors who deal in lies and half truths.
Your Other Option: Professional Home Buyers
The traditional way isn’t always the best way.
Working with a real estate agent might be a great experience if you know someone you can trust — someone who’ll work hard to get you the best possible price for your home.
But it can also be a headache.
And at Old Harbor Properties, we work with homeowners who want to sell fast, as-is for a fair cash price without paying commissions or negotiating with buyers or waiting months for the appraisal process.
Give us a call at (781) 549-0271 if you want to learn more about our process. We can make you a fair cash offer in 48 hours, close in as little as two weeks, and we’ll even pay all closing costs!
Who is Old Harbor Properties?
We are local New England residents that focus on buying properties off-market (with no commissions) for cash. We are not “flippers” or “investors” looking to pay pennies on the dollar. We are local Sox fans with families and we focus on buying rental properties. This allows us to make fair market value offers based on comparable sales and needed repairs. If you want to sell the property where you’re currently living, give us a call at (781) 208-7362 we can make you a fair cash offer, buy as-is, and close in as little as two weeks!
