If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in Houston, you’ll want to find a real estate professional who can help you get the most out of your investment. What should you look for in a Houston realtor? According to Jackie Wallman of Texas Homes Realty and Management, a full-service real estate company in Houston, experience and character are two key factors to consider when hiring a realtor.
Knowledge of Local Market
Possibly your most important consideration when hiring a real estate agent, Wallman says, should be whether or not she is knowledgeable about the local market. “It’s one thing to understand real estate in a general sense,” she says, “but it’s another thing to have an intimate working knowledge of the Houston market.” Houston, she says, has fared better than most cities in the wake of the recent housing crisis and some of the rules that work in other markets simply don’t apply.
An in-depth understanding of the local market is critical to an agent’s ability to find the right home for a client. Wallman, who specializes in investment (rental) properties, says that her experience working exclusively in Houston and the surrounding areas makes it possible for her to find those properties that are perfectly suited to her clients’ needs. “We’re always looking for something that’s slightly under market value, that’s near an employment center and that will attract renters,” she explains. “If I didn’t have years of experience on both the rental and real estate sides of the equation, I simply wouldn’t be as effective.”
Reputation
A realtor’s reputation is also a great indication of her effectiveness and trustworthiness. “Honesty and integrity are extremely important characteristics in a real estate agent,” Wallman says. “If you can’t trust your realtor to use good judgment, give sound advice or to conduct herself ethically, you’re working with the wrong person.” Ask friends, family and colleagues about their experiences working with their own realtors and whether they’d recommend them. A solid referral from someone you trust, Wallman says, is just about the best possible way to go about finding a realtor. If you’re new to town, she says, the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) web site is a great place to start.
Repeat Clients
The number of clients who work with the same realtor repeatedly, Wallman says, speaks volumes about the way she does business. “I’m very proud to have a number of clients I’ve worked with over and over again to purchase and sell investment properties,” she says. “Once we’ve done well on one property together, a client is very likely to use my services again because he’s seen that I can find a good property at a good price in a good area, and he’s seeing the returns come in.”
A real estate agent, Wallman says, should look at her relationships with clients as long-term relationships. As such, your realtor should view your current purchase or sale as just one step in your long-term investment strategy. Rather than simply rushing you through a single transaction and moving on, she says, your realtor should become a trusted partner. “A real estate agent who can say that she has a large number of clients with whom she works on a regular basis,” Wallman says, “is very likely someone you can trust to do a great job for you.”
