By Kathy Henne
Contributing columnist
Hooray! You’ve sold your home, got your check, and handed the keys over to the new owners! Now what?
Do you need to use the funds to purchase another home and move? The agent who sold your home is a likely candidate to help you locate another home. If you were satisfied with the level of service you received and the advice and guidance, you will probably choose that agent to help you with the search for your new home.
But what if you’re moving some distance? Do you want to just take a chance that you’ll find a great agent in your new area? You don’t want to end up with someone who will slam dunk you into a house just for a check. Ask your agent to refer you to a great agent in your new area. Most agents have a referral network set up to help you. Some of these referral networks require that the agents meet certain criteria to be part of the referral network. They’re required to be full time real estate agents and their previous year’s sales must exceed certain levels. They must be committed to customer service and have a team of qualified people to provide the services a relocation buyer requires.
You want your new agent to be full time to be available to you during normal business hours. You want that agent to be very active in their business so they can give you guidance about their real estate market. The more homes they’ve visited, the better information they can give you about the market. They will not waste your time by taking you to homes that are overpriced or poor condition. They’ve already been in those homes and can direct you to homes that are priced right and in good condition. You want that agent to be committed to customer service. This service should go on past the sale. They should be your source for information you need on the area. Do you want to visit the different choices in schools? You may have choices between public and private schools and you may want to spend some time talking with the teachers or principals. You may want guidance about a good family physician, dentist, pediatrician or even a barber or hair styling salon. Your new agent should have a staff of qualified people dedicated to your happiness. When your new agent is out of the office with other clients, their qualified staff will be able to give you the help and information you need, when you need it.
If you’re relocating to a new area, talk to your agent about helping you find an agent in your new area. Ask what criteria your agent will use to choose your next agent. Make sure your next agent is full time, well qualified and dedicated to customer service. Packing up your family and moving to a new area is stressful enough, you want an agent to relieve your load, not add to it.
Contact the Kathy Henne Team Re/MAX by calling 937-778-3961
