What have you found to be best way to find a real estate agent? (San Francisco: for sale, rent)

[oslerhomes]

I am curious what means have most people in San Francisco usually used to find their agent. It seems sort of random- advice from friends-glossy websites-word of mouth. Maybe choice of agent does not matter. As full disclosure I am curious from the standpoint of a small business owner, but I would like to know how some of you find the best agent for your needs.

[jtschieber]

I'm an agent, I work in the east bay. Here's an honest opinion: most agents have a hard time presenting a value proposition beyond "I provide great service" or "I know the area/market well." And they ALL say those things so the trick is to figure out who really does. And the only way to do that is to talk to someone you know/trust who has worked with them.
And like any other "service" business, the people offering the discount are doing so for a reason (they'd get a full fee if they could, right?). And my experience is that the people doing both loans and real estate are truly skilled at neither. I'm sure there are exceptions - I just haven't found one yet.
There are a lot of good professionals out there who will work hard to represent your best interests - get you in a good house for a good price, protect you from making a mistake, help you with the move, and make the whole experience really positive. And their past clients are telling people about them. (But that's a small percentage of agents.) Ask your friends if they know one.
http://www.tomschieber.com

[sjd]

Make up a list of questions that are important to you that an agent could or would do. Make sure your B.S. meter is on. Interview at least three different agents, make sure you get some names and numbers who have worked with him/her in the past, and make sure you contact them.

Finding the right agent is important because you are purchasing the most important investment of your ife and you don't want to work with someone who is in it just for the money. You want someone to look after your interests. They are out there, you just have to find them.

[sliverbox]

Here's what you can do in order to prep yourself. Look up the local MLS if there is access to it. Most do. See what the prices are in the area. See what the highest and lowest prices were. Check the Dataquick reports. This shows sales trends for years at a time, showing statistics regarding prices and trends.

The advantage of today is that you have an enormous amount of free information- from mortgage, rent versus buy, and property tax calculators, sales and trend data, as well as the raw listings themselves. There are even blogs out there regarding the pros and cons of the market. Educate yourself, know what your financial limits are, whether it is a good or time to buy, and what your true income ( not income based on risky loans) will afford you. Not complicated stuff.

[Sex&theCity]

I found out on the web a really good real estate site, it's Zip Realty, you can find houses at all prices, from the lowest to the most expensive one.

bye guys

[sjd]

But they make you sign up to Zip Realty, so the agents bug you. Best to find a site that doesn't make you sign up.

[Sleeestak]

I found a great agent after visiting several open homes in my area.

[p-town]

forget looking for an agent or a Realtor. the business is going to go the way of the dodo soon. just like stock brokers and travel agents.
There is a site called redfin.com. there was a story on 60 minutes not too long ago, and the deal goes as follows.
realtor's charge a minimum 6% commission as anyone who has dealt with them before knows. 3% for themselves, the other 3% for the closing lender.
what this redfin company does is charge a flat one time $3000 dollar fee. thats right, i didn't do a typo, it is a three, followed by only three more zeros.
think about it. lets say you sold your house for a cool million (we live in the bay area, so its not completely crazy to conceive) with the help of an agent or Realtor. They charge 6%. 6% of a million is SIXTY THOUSAND BUCKAROOS.
now, don't you think giving someone 60 K's to put up a white post in front of your house and hold a couple open houses over the weekend is a "wee bit" too much when someone can do the same thing for only 3 thousand? (yes, Redfin can supply those white posts to put in front of your home, and they provide virtual tours, so you don't have to have strangers walking freely around your home, not knowing what they are doing.)
if you don't believe me, check out their site redfin.com
or if you want to see their special on 60 minutes, this site has the video for it
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/13...nutes-tonight/
feel free to thank me, but please don't flame. im just trying to help people save money, and who doesn't like to do that?

[sjd]

P- commissions are always negotiable, and the agent doesn't see all that money. As much as half of the 3% will go back to his/her company. (Yet the agent does all the work and pays for everything out of pocket, hoping that it will sell, and these days that is a gamble)

Also, it is a little more complicated than just putting out a sign and holding open houses. Agents offer simplicity to all the ins and outs that most people don't see. Try selling your home yourself, and see the difference. Some people like, but most will not. Everyone always says that a Realtor is no longer in need, but yet they are still around because apparently they are in need.

...And stock brokers and travel agents are still around.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by sjd

P- commissions are always negotiable, and the agent doesn't see all that money. As much as half of the 3% will go back to his/her company. (Yet the agent does all the work and pays for everything out of pocket, hoping that it will sell, and these days that is a gamble)

Also, it is a little more complicated than just putting out a sign and holding open houses. Agents offer simplicity to all the ins and outs that most people don't see. Try selling your home yourself, and see the difference. Some people like, but most will not. Everyone always says that a Realtor is no longer in need, but yet they are still around because apparently they are in need.

...And stock brokers and travel agents are still around.

Let's put real numbers to it.... the median house price in the Bay Area hovers around 700K.... 6% is 42000. That's the total commission -- Half goes to the sellers agent brokerage and half goes to the buyer's agent's brokerage. When the brokerages get it, they divide it half with the agent -- so each one gets 10,500.

The agent of course pays for the marketing -- the flyers, the mailers, the for sale sign, the open house listing in the paper, sitting at the open house, the food for the open house, the cookies to make to make the house smell nice... all the yada yada -- which I have no idea what that costs.

And the agent gets to deal with the homeowner who doesn't get that old avocado green stove isn't retro -- it's OLD. And all the sturm und drang of selling the family home that comes along with it -- the cards should read Real estate agent/family therapist.

And the house sits for 45 days or more till along comes a buyer, who then asks for a 45 day close...

By the time the agent gets that Big Whopping Commission -- he or she has earned less than 3500.00 a month on that.

In the Bay Area -- and I may get flamed on this -- 3500 bucks a month isn't much at all.

Now -- during the times where houses sell themselves with multiple offers and prices are rising through the roof, I might be inclined to think that agents and brokerage houses are making too much money -- but in markets like this? They earn every penny.

Times like this are great for real estate agents.... times like this shake the dilettantes out of trees, and leave it to the pros.

By the way -- NOT a real estate agent -- Hubby and i own a own janitorial company.