Find A Real Estate Agent Who Will Say No
I really hate to be a dream stomper but a good real estate agent is going to tell you what is best for you in the long run and not “just make a sale”. You probably know, as well as I do, that real estate agents get a bad rap … some deservedly so. In Florida, the bar for entry to the profession is set pretty low so I am sure there are plenty of people making the real estate industry look bad. I can tell you from my nearly eighteen years as a real estate agent in the Bonita Springs area is that there are a lot of people who do the job really well. It is their profession, not a hobby or quick way to make cash.
My advise to anyone hiring or interviewing real estate agents is to make sure you find someone who will tell you no. If you want a “yes man” you’re not going to be happy with your home purchase or your home sale, in the long run.
In the last year I have had to say a big “no” to more than one buyer who was making a choice that I wouldn’t be able to resell easily. Any home can be remodeled but you can’t fix a horrible view or road noise or any other type of functional obsolescence. I’ve talked many out of those sorts of choices not just because it’s the right the to do but, in spite of the fact that nobody buys with the intention to sell, I know they will want to sell one day and it shouldn’t be a struggle.
Due to the nature of our boomer population in Bonita Springs we run into many clients or customers who have lost a spouse. There is often the notion that they should sell; a panic sell. The sudden change caused by loss, probate issues, finding the right attorneys, dealing with the aftermath of medical bills can be overwhelming. Time is generally not of the essence and you need a real estate agent who will help you make the best decision, not the fastest decision. Sometimes that advise should be them saying no to listing your Bonita Springs home for sale until you’ve had time to adjust or process the situation. That could also mean waiting until a better time of the year to sell or finishing a household improvement project to get the most money out of your home sale.