This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Who's Your Broker? The Changing Profile of Today's Real Estate Professionals

Today’s real estate market is very competitive. Bidding wars have resurfaced as multiple buyers look to take advantage of low interest rates and vie for limited inventory across the country. To successfully navigate today’s real estate challenges, buyers and sellers need to align with a savvy sales associate who understands their needs and their niche. It begs the question, Who’s Your Broker?

The current hot real estate market continues to reveal the changing face of today’s real estate professional. While in many cases it makes sense to hire a seasoned real estate veteran with years of experience to help with your next real estate transaction, some may want to consider working with a member of the newest class of agents – professionals that offer different career perspective, an arsenal of new prospects and market ingenuity.

Longtime brokers weathered the tough years of real estate and, despite the industry’s hectic pace over the last 10 months, are grateful for today’s busy, bustling sales activity. Given the economic changes and job restructuring that took center stage these past few years, it comes as no surprise, however,  that there is a new breed of real estate professionals out working hard in the market. These career converts boast well-rounded skills, network connections, technology know-how and an unbridled enthusiasm for a new, entrepreneurial role. In fact, backgrounds and beliefs can often help brokers bond with clients. For example, a young family looking for their dream home may want to partner with a broker that has teaching experience, an understanding of public and private schools or first-hand knowledge about community organizations. Buyers and sellers in an urban market might want to join forces with a new age realtor that has a business pipeline in their neighborhood – for example the broker may have  worked in the Seaport or Financial District and can tap into their local sphere of influence regarding nearby properties or interested buyers. Other potential clients may consider working with an agent who got his feet wet in the industry – and neighborhood - renting properties in the area. Former rental agents will have unique insight on rental histories, owner-occupancy ratios, sought after amenities and local flavor.

Find out what's happening in Miltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fit is important – especially when it comes to making one of life’s biggest transactions. Some homeowners or prospective homebuyers may want to work with creative, social media-savvy sales associates who utilize the technology they value such as texting, emailing, blogging and  video tours. Younger buyers and sellers have grown up on social media and may want to deal with tech-savvy professionals who effectively incorporate social media into their sales process. Conversely, traditional homeowners or prospects may enjoy the personal touch, hard copies and face time including listing sheets, open houses, in-person meetings and private showings versus online communication and trendy sales methods.                

Succeeding in today’s hot real estate market may be as easy as choosing the right broker to help guide you through the process. As you set out to make a list of dos and don’ts that you want in your dream home, be sure to take the time to determine who will best help you navigate the market, target what’s important to you and communicate with you in a way that is efficient, comfortable and relevant for your lifestyle.

Find out what's happening in Miltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?