When your house is about to go on the market, or you are preparing to find the perfect Portland home, choosing the right Portland real estate agent shouldn’t be a blind Trick-or-Treat grab bag. You deserve to come up with a full-size candy bar—not a walnut!

The right choice can make all the difference between a smooth, seamless process and a stressful, ongoing post-Halloween nightmare—the kind that can pop out of the woodwork to haunt you for years to come! Before you buy or sell a Portland home, here are some qualities you can keep in mind as you select your real estate agent:

1. True Enthusiasm

Look for real enthusiasm from your real estate agent brings to your project. Every good salesperson will present themselves with energy—but a truly engaged agent will demonstrate true enthusiasm by being willing to work with you in a way you that fits your personal style. Beyond just feeling comfortable with the agent’s personality, if you’re accustomed to communicating via text messages or email, the right real estate agent should volunteer to communicate that way. If you prefer the personal touch of in-person meetings or telephone calls, the right agent will be happy to accommodate. According to this year’s Generational Trend Survey from the National Association of Realtors®, younger buyers prefer text, while older buyers prefer phone. When you think about it, isn’t an agent who’s used to accommodating all kinds of communication media the one most likely to gets results from the whole gamut of today’s buyers and sellers?

2. In the Range

Some (not all) real estate agents in Portland specialize in niche markets. Your own agent doesn’t have to specialize exclusively with homes in your price range, but should be familiar with that market—have listed and sold homes within it. That agent will have a better understanding of what’s available in Portland, and have a good handle on the values recently demonstrated.

3. Dedication  

There are undeniable advantages to choosing a full-time real estate agent over a part-timer, no matter how personable. Although there are good agents who are work part time simply because they prefer to deal with one client at a time, a full-time agent typically has more experience in the field. Since they have declared real estate as their single career choice, they tend to have more on the line when it comes to delivering for their clients. When other obligations are secondary, they are freer to work within the confines of your schedule. The question to ask a part-time agent with another full-time job is whether he or she will be available when you need them to be. In a way, it harkens back to that first quality—an agent who is willing and able to work with you the way you prefer.

When you keep in mind the qualities you are looking for, taking a little more time to ask a few extra questions will pay off in the short and long runs. Why not give us a call today? I’m willing to bet you’ll put us on your short list of prospective Portland real estate agents! 503-389-0686