Thinking about buying or selling a home? Both of those processes can be an exciting experience and a life-changing one at that. Whether it’s the thrill of the house hunt and the possibility of a new life and growing family, or moving on to the next chapter, a new home is full of hopeful opportunities. The entire process can be enhanced by a good real estate agent who knows all the ins and outs of your market. However, we know that in Billings, MT, there are so many different brokerages and agents out there to choose from, which means that finding the right one is more of a challenge than even finding the perfect house. Especially since working with the right real estate agent who is both experienced and trustworthy can help you sell your home for the best price or find your dream home within your budget. When you’re looking for a Billings real estate agent, you’ve come to the right place.

To help you with the selection process, we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you find the best real estate agent, no matter where you live.

Simple Tips To Help You Choose The Best Billings Real Estate Agent

Here are a few tips to help you choose the best Billings real estate agent to help you buy, sell, and even fix and flip.

Start By Looking For Referrals In Your Own Network

The first thing you should do when looking for the right Billings real estate agent is to ask around. Ask friends and family members who they’ve worked with and trusted in the past. Use your network to find out who had amazing experiences. You’ll want to work with someone who has worked with people who are in the same situation as you. Specifically, first-time buyers’ needs are different from those of frequent buyers or homeowners looking to downsize.

We suggest looking for Realtors with a capital R. This specific title means that they are National Association of Realtors (NAR) members. Loosely speaking, this means they have formally agreed to abide by the NAR’s code of ethics. Some Realtors and agents also have specific certifications to show they’ve completed additional training. 

Once you’ve found a name or two of local agents and brokers, the next step is to examine their online presence. Look at their social profiles, their website, and how they promote their current listings. It is also helpful to look at online reviews, but be cautious. One or two negative reviews are normal for successful agents, but if more than 50% of their reviews are unhelpful experiences, that might be a red flag.

Look For Signs Or Open Houses

If you aren’t really excited about digging online for agent profiles, check out your local market in person. Drive or walk around your neighborhood or the neighborhood you want to be in and look for repeat agent names on signs. If you’re seeing the same name or brokerage name time and time again, it most likely is because they care about their business and want to be recognized as an asset to their community. 

Another way you can get to know an agent is to visit open houses. Get a feel for them in person and see how well they are selling another home and interacting with potential buyers. This is a great way to get a feel for their personality and see how they work.

Ask The Right Questions 

When you’re interviewing or getting to know your potential new agent, make sure you are asking the right questions. Find out how long they have been working in real estate, whether they work primarily with buyers or sellers, and how many active clients they have at a time. 

Ask if they are a part of a team, their specialty, and their marketing strategy for both buying and selling. Working with a brokerage is usually a great bet because you’ll have a team of knowledgeable agents and brokers to handle any issues and questions that come up.

Set Clear and Realistic Expectations

When picking an agent to help you buy and sell, you must set your communication preferences and let your agent know your expectations. Usually, the greatest complaint regarding any Billings real estate agent is that they aren’t communicating well. Make sure you are on the same page with your agent from the get-go. Ask them what their expectations are for you as the buyer or seller and ask them how often they will contact you. Maybe your agent prefers email while you prefer phone calls. This might not make for a great client-agent relationship. Similarly, if you’re looking for weekly updates and have a lot of questions, and your agent isn’t great at answering the phone, then you might want to look for someone who is a better fit.

We also think that it’s important you clarify your motivation and goals. If you’re on a strict timeline or have wishlist items that can’t be broken, make sure you’re communicating that with your agent. Layout everything you’re expecting right away so your agent knows all of your expectations. 

At the end of the day, you want to agree with your agent on all the important details. A great agent relationship starts with clearly defined expectations and communication strategies.

Go With Your Gut

We know that when it comes to choosing the right agent, an agent’s ability to make the process smooth and easy is just as important as experience and knowledge. You want to feel mutual trust and comfortability with your agent, as often the closing process can get a little complex.

At the end of the day, you should go with your gut. Finding the right agent is a little like dating; you’ll know if you have chemistry right away. It’s about personality fit just as much as finding someone who knows their stuff.

The Bottom Line When It Comes To Finding A Billings Real Estate Agent

When it comes to finding the right real estate agent, the bottom line is to shop around and do your research. You want someone you connect with, someone you trust, someone who knows the industry and has a large network and inventory on their side at the end of the day. 

Have questions about real estate? We’d love to help. Reach out to us today to discuss your goals.