Working With Your Real Estate Agent

Finding the right home in Manhattan can take time and a lot of work. At times it can be overwhelming ...after all it's the most important decision you will make.

A licensed and professional Real Estate Agent can help navigate the process from beginning to end --- and even after your closing --- applying their expertise to your search to get you the results you deserve.

Using the right Agent can make all the difference between finding the home you have always wanted and frustration. Find an agent who can open the right doors for you. Find an agent who listens.

Look for an Agent, not a property since you'll be spending much of your time with this person, read agent biographies, request recommendations, even call to interview them. Communication is 80% of the process, so make sure you and your agent connect.

Share all requested information. Letting your agent know what you want is the first step to successful communication. Many factors play a part in the selection of properties for you to view and there are a wide variety of properties in New York City. Give your agent a complete picture of you and your needs to avoid wasting time looking at properties that does not suit your lifestyle. Make a wish list. You may not get everything on your list, but a good agent will work to get you as much of your wish list as possible.

When looking at properties, give your agent a piece of your mind.While looking at properties, let your agent know what resonates with you for each property. A good agent will consider all of the input you have given throughout the relationship when selecting properties to see, not just your initial requirements. Perhaps your reaction to a property will bring to mind another option they would have otherwise struck from the list. As you see more properties with your agent, they will get to know how they can best assist you.

Be Open. Never feel that you have to hold back in your assessment of a property, your assessment of a contract, or your feelings on a situation. Your agent is there to help you and the more they know, the better off you are.

Pick one agent to assist you. In Manhattan, every agent has access to the same group of listings through RLS (REBNY Listing Exchange Service) which acts similarly to the MLS. Working with multiple agents will just make more work for you, in that you will have to manage a team of people, field many phone calls and emails, learn of duplicate properties and make the search for your home all that more overwhelming.

Whether you're a buyer or seller, pick the agent who is right for you and work exclusively with them. Your agent works for you and if you choose the right agent for your needs, you'll find that the process of buying or selling a home is not nearly as daunting as you think -- because your agent will do all of the work. A good real estate agent is worth their weight in gold!