3 Ways to Find Out If You Have a Bad Huntsville Real Estate Agent

Most articles across the Net that focus on finding a real estate agent tell you what to look for to find a good one. What if you already have one, though? How can you tell if your Huntsville real estate agent is the one that caused previous clients X, Y and Z to have never-ending nightmares? What if they're related to the Wicked Witch of the West and, horror of horrors, you don't know?

It's enough to give a person the terrors, even though Halloween is already past. In the interest of helping you have a good experience (thus raising the reputation of agents everywhere), here are three things you can do if your Huntsville real estate agent starts giving you the heebie jeebies:

1. Find out if they've had any training since real estate school. Although it depends on the state, most agents have to complete a three- to six-week period of schooling. If they pass the real estate licensing exam they find a broker, sign a form, sign up with some real estate associations and are immediately moved into the echelons of "real estate professional." That's it.

If your agent hasn't had any more training than that, there's a high probability they don't know everything they need to know to give you the professional help you need. Real estate school can only teach so much, especially in three to six weeks.



2. Try to reach your agent by phone and email. If you get a voice mail, leave a message and see how fast they return the call. See how fast they return the email. Many agents leave comments on the listings such as "for questions, comments or to show, contact listing agent," which means the only way potential buyers can get any extra information or see your home is by contacting your agent. If your agent never returns emails or phone calls, you may be missing out on potential buyers.

3. Consider if they're willing to show you houses you want to look at, or if they're too busy. Some agents have a strange rule that they'll only show a certain number of houses. Other agents seem to be too busy to show you a few extra homes you're interested in. If either of these are the case, don't call another agent – get rid of the one you have, first.

If you find that your Huntsville real estate agent is a genuine nightmare, take a step back and reassess whether you want to use them or not. If you decide you want to hire another one, first let your original agent know and officially cancel the contract.

If you're looking for an experienced, well-educated real estate agent, I can help. Call me at 800-803-0053, 256-508-0211 or email me at mike@movetohuntsville.com for more information.

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