We all want to work with a real estate agent who’s honest about their costs, experience, and the condition of homes they’ve listed. And when we hire a professional, we expect that we can trust them to do the job. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
At Mitten Made Properties, we’ve helped many Metro Detroit homeowners who felt they just couldn’t trust the agent they were working with.
From our years of experience with Michigan real estate, here are some easy ways to figure out if the agent you’re working with is being honest with you or not.
Google Them
This is the easiest and fastest way to learn about a realtor. Look them up online and see what comes up. You may be able to find reviews that mention them by name on their agency’s social media outlets. Arello.com is another great resource to verify that they have a real estate license.
Check Their Listings
Take a look and see how many listings they currently have by looking at their agency’s website. More listings usually means more experience.
Check Their Specialty
By viewing the agent’s website or bio, it should be possible to figure out what their specialty is and if it’s what they told you it was. Do they specialize in the type of home you’re looking for or trying to sell, like Lake Orion acreage, suburban neighborhood two-stories, lakefront retreats, or Detroit townhomes? Or were their claims just hot air and they’re desperate for clients?
Ask About Commissions
One of the quickest ways to tell whether an agent is playing with you is to ask if their commissions are negotiable… because they ARE. Always. You can negotiate an agent’s commission as much as you want before contracts are signed. If they tell you otherwise, find a new agent.
Of course, it’s better to take these steps BEFORE you hire an agent.
And remember, there’s an alternative that eliminates real estate agents from the equation entirely. If you decide you’d rather sell your Metro Detroit house as-is for cash, give Mitten Made Properties a call at (248) 883-3340 — no listings, no showings, we can close in as little as two weeks, and you won’t even have to clean it. Check out our endorsements on LinkedIn!