West Palm Beach real estate is considered prime property for so many reasons, including its beautiful stretch of coastline, upscale communities with remarkable amenities like Ibis, and gorgeous weather.
Given the demand for homes for sale in West Palm Beach and pretty much the rest of Palm Beach County, it would be wise to go to reliable experts in the local real estate scene for a helping hand. To make the best choice, here’s what you can do:
- Get referrals
Looking for a real estate agent usually starts with referrals. You can get your referrals from several sources:
- Friends and family. They’re your most accessible sources for agent referrals, particularly those who have recently bought or sold their home. If they had a good experience working with their agent, they won’t hesitate to recommend them to you.
- Your own agent. In case you’re moving to West Palm Beach from another Florida city or state, your current agent may have connections here that they could recommend.
- A moving specialist. As part of an industry affiliated with real estate, they will know the best local agents who can help you.
- The agents themselves. Every agent should have in their portfolio a list of referrals that they can present to potential clients. Be wary of one who refuses to share their referrals with you.
West Palm Beach real estate agents are expected to have a strong online presence. The more prolific among them would usually have their own websites with glowing client testimonials. But if you want to find honest reviews of these agents, then Google is a good place to start.
Whether you’re buying or selling a house in West Palm Beach, you’re bound to encounter multiple listing services. Check out the details in several West Palm Beach listings and see whose agent or brokerage name usually shows up. Agents or brokerages often mentioned in West Palm Beach listings would have the most experience and knowledge working in the area.
There are many who claim to be agents but lack the training, qualifications, and ethical considerations. The quickest way to know if they are certified agents in Florida is by verifying their license via the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation’s website, particularly their licensee search.
Once you have a shortlist of potential agents to choose from, you can then invite them to an interview. Here are some relevant questions to ask:
- What’s your specialization? If you are eyeing luxury properties in West Palm Beach, find someone who is particularly adept in the purchase and sale of this particular type of property. An agent who buys and sells mostly standard single-family homes may fall short in dealing with niche properties like luxury homes.
- How long have you been an agent? An agent who has seen many market upheavals in their time and has managed to weather these storms is an agent with proven experience in their field.
- How many clients do you have? A busy agent with many clients to attend to is an indication that people actually want to work with this agent. However, if they are handling too many clients at a time, they may spread themselves too thinly. Make sure the agent can make themselves available to you especially when you need it most.
- Listing or buyer’s agent? Most agents will declare that they’re experts in both transactions. However, their completed deals can show whether they’re more adept at selling or buying properties. Choose the one with a clear and positive track record of the transaction you want to engage in.
- For buyers: How long does it take for you to complete the home-buying process? Even with an agent partnering with you, it will still take considerable time to complete the home-buying process. The home search alone could take up to two months. Then there are another two weeks to two months of going through the rest of the process up to closing the deal. If they give you a schedule ranging from six months to a year then it’s best to move on to the next possible candidate.
- For sellers: How do you intend to sell my house? An agent with a wealth of experience and a high degree of online savvy will be able to show you a clear-cut plan on how they will conduct the home-selling endeavor. Moreover, they will have a network of professionals from the industry who they could recommend to you for affiliated tasks from home staging to insurance and more.
For a hassle-free real estate transaction in West Palm Beach and in surrounding areas, partner with one of the most reliable teams of Realtors in Palm Beach Gardens – The Telchin Group. Get in touch with them here.