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I am new to this and have not done home search before.
How much does knowing the area help agent find the right home for you?
I am looking for pre-owned homes which I think need good idea of location and neighborhoods.
My friend hired an agent who he can recommend 100%.
But I am not sure he knows my target area.
But he did find my friend a new home 30 miles from my target area.
So my question is should I go with my friend's agent or do I look for someone who know my target area?
In general how do I choose an agent?
Yes, it is helpful for the agent to know your target area, so you'll want to ask this agent if they are familiar with that area. If they are not, you could ask this agent to refer you to a colleague of theirs instead. You're going about this the right way; getting a referral from a friend is the best way to go.
30 miles is a long way away. You need to find an agent who knows your target area. They will make your home search easier because they are familiar with local neighborhoods. They should know about any projects that are happening in that city that may impact a purchase.
Go to the city you are interested in and look on Zillow and Trulia, and see which agents have sold homes in the city you are looking in. Read their reviews and see what other people say about them. I believe that Zillow filters negative reviews based on some comments from consumers on here that have tried to leave a negative review, but you can still get a feel for their personality and style.
Friend recommended agents have in my experience not always worked out. We did the same thing 3 times and 3 times went with agent other than original recommended one, for what it is worth.
An agent knowing the target area would be vital to my search. I would want to know how many homes they have helped buy/sell in my target area. How many homes they have shown in my target area. Their knowledge of flood and insurance issues for my target area. They should also be able to explain to me the different neighborhoods and why they are priced the way they are. I am hiring their expertise, not just someone who can show me homes.
Friend recommended agents have in my experience not always worked out. We did the same thing 3 times and 3 times went with agent other than original recommended one, for what it is worth.
I agree. In fact, it just happened to me this week, which is why I'm on this forum. If it's okay to jump onto this thread, I'd like to ask a question.
Did you simply call another agent or go through a "break up" with the other Realtor?
If the OP wants to try his friend's agent and isn't happy with the results, why can't he simply call someone else?
By the way, I don't think 30 miles is very far, especially if you're in a rural area. I guess I'm writing this because I just stayed in Lake Lure NC for a month and everything was "just 20 miles" from the cabin or "only 40 miles to Asheville." Depending on where you live, some agents cover several counties.
OTOH, if you live near a city, I would probably look for an office within 10 or 15 miles of my targeted area. It saves a lot of extra driving and the agents working out of that office might have a better handle on what's going on in the surrounding communities.
For preowned homes in hot market where you may need to look at houses as soon as they come on market, availability of agent during work week might also be important.
Like you guys have suggested it is better to start somewhere talk to the agents and see if he has the time and knowledge to find a home for you.
I agree. In fact, it just happened to me this week, which is why I'm on this forum. If it's okay to jump onto this thread, I'd like to ask a question.
Did you simply call another agent or go through a "break up" with the other Realtor?
If the OP wants to try his friend's agent and isn't happy with the results, why can't he simply call someone else?
By the way, I don't think 30 miles is very far, especially if you're in a rural area. I guess I'm writing this because I just stayed in Lake Lure NC for a month and everything was "just 20 miles" from the cabin or "only 40 miles to Asheville." Depending on where you live, some agents cover several counties.
OTOH, if you live near a city, I would probably look for an office within 10 or 15 miles of my targeted area. It saves a lot of extra driving and the agents working out of that office might have a better handle on what's going on in the surrounding communities.
Contacted our original agent and expressed our displeasure with what they were and weren't doing for us and then got a new realtor. I just felt they needed to hear why I was not happy with them.
The title of your thread: "Agent who knows the area or Agent who my friend loves?" almost suggested a romantic entanglement, in which case, I was thinking, it's important to conduct business on a 'business' basis.
Having read the thread, I now see that you are using 'love' in the casual sense that the world often uses it. Nevertheless, the advice is pretty much the same. If this Realtor is the best one available to you for the job at hand, then, by all means, take your friend's suggestion. If not, don't confuse friendship with business -- find a Realtor that is best for you.
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