How To Find The Best Philadelphia Real Estate Agents

By Author: Mr projects
Total Articles: 80
Comment this article

How do you find the best Philadelphia real estate agents? Good question. There are over 4,000 agents in our area. That’s some statistic!
Let’s break it down a bit so you can judge how to find the best Philadelphia real estate agents.

Of the 4,000 agents, most but not all are members of the National Association of Realtors®, permitting them to call themselves REALTORS®. They are required to adhere to a standard of ethics that prescribes acceptable actions regarding their customers, other agents and the public. So choose a REALTOR®.

Another percentage of Philadelphia real estate agents are members of the local Multiple Listing Service, giving them access to all the listings from all the companies, guaranteeing the most accurate descriptions and protecting them so they get paid. So be sure to ask if the agent belongs to Trend, the local MLS service. You will see all the homes as soon as they come on the market instead of the out-of-date public websites that have incomplete and sometimes inaccurate information.

So you’ve narrowed it down to a few thousand. Hmmm. What is another way to ...
... distinguish the best Philadelphia real estate agents? Check if they have taken the time, energy and money to get trained as a specialist in any area. Examples would be GRI, (Graduate of the Realty Institute), CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist), ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative), or E-Pro (certified technology specialist), etc. For more on this, see: http://www.realtor.org/designations-and-certifications/.

So now you are down to hundreds. How to narrow it down to a number you can deal with. Here’s an idea. Most Philadelphia real estate agents work on both sides of the transaction. Called “dual-agency”, it cannot ever be said that this is a guaranteed way for each side to get the best deal. Only the agent (who gets double the commission) will get the best deal. So maybe eliminate those agents.

Now you are down to a manageable number. Very few agents refuse to represent both buyer and seller. Even fewer make it their policy to never accept any listing and ONLY REPRESENT buyers. So if you are a buyer, this is the best way to find the best Philadelphia real estate agents. Pick an exclusive buyer agent.

Now, if you want a Philadelphia real estate agent who has been recognized by actual clients, find a 5-Star Award Winner. These agents were selected based on surveys of home buyers done by an independent third party. Agents with any history of violations or ethical issues are not accepted. Each year, Philadelphia Magazine recognizes these agents.

Linda Walters at Sage Realty LLC, a three-time winner of the 5-Star award, with expertise and training as a real estate attorney and the ABR, SERS and E-PRO designations, is a Philadelphia real estate agent who only represents buyers. Call her. Even if you have a home to sell first, she will guide you right.

Please contact Sage to learn more about our award-winning service: LindaWalters@SageRealtyLLC.com, call 610-687-4000. Or visit www.FindAHomeinPA.com Or check out our blog at http://blog.findahomeinpa.com/