How to Choose the Best Berkeley Real Estate Agent For You

Whether you have called Berkeley home for decades and are now considering selling your residence or are keen on calling the vibrant city home in the near future, buying and selling real estate in this Northern California enclave requires partnering with a highly qualified real estate agent. But with the wide selection of professionals available, how can you choose the right one for yourself? Read on for Michael Robertson’s guide on selecting the best Berkeley real estate agent for you and your situation.

It isn’t just you who will find recommendations from friends, family members, and colleagues more trustworthy than online reviews: Research reports that people across the board are more inclined to go with personal referrals. Connections of yours who have sold or purchased a home in Berkeley will be able to give you the unvarnished truth about their experience. Listen to their stories of how their real estate agent handled their concerns and wishes, and aim to get a taste of their personality and approach. You may have stronger chemistry with a real estate agent who has similar character traits as yours, or you may find you need someone who possesses oppositional qualities to challenge you in the best possible way.

Once you have collected recommendations, launch your own research. A real estate agent’s website can speak volumes about their style and aesthetics–to say nothing of providing you with a view of their portfolio, education, and present properties.

Does the real estate agent only list high-profile, sprawling estates in the Berkeley Hills, while you are intent on finding a contemporary condominium that is close to downtown? While this does not preclude you from working with a real estate agent who typically works outside of your residence or desired residence, you may want to find someone who has deep connections with your community of interest. Examining their portfolio can also give you a solid grasp of the extent of their experience.

A consultation will enable you to determine if you and your real estate agent, in the most straightforward terms, hit it off. This is subjective and more elusive than, say, their commitment to ongoing education or the local boards of which they may be a part. Oftentimes, this can only be felt in an in-person meeting. This will give you the opportunity to ask questions and gauge not only their knowledge but also how willing they are to educate their clients in a valuable, compassionate, and enjoyable manner. If you are in the market to purchase a home, keep in mind that the real estate agent will earn their commission from the seller’s side of the transaction. Meaning if you encounter a real estate agent who tries to persuade you otherwise, search for the nearest exit.

If you are selling your home in Berkeley, understand what services they will provide you with – and how adept they are at these offerings. Their marketing skills, negotiating prowess, ties within the community, knowledge of the area’s nuances, pluses, and drawbacks, and handle on running comps are all vital to ensuring you will be working with a veritable expert. If you are buying your home, listen closely to see if they are genuinely hearing your requests, desires, and worries.

The Berkeley real estate scene is competitive, with home prices continuing to rise across the San Francisco Bay Area – yes, even as buyer demand somewhat slows as we await to see if we’re swinging towards or away from a recession. To this end, as a home seller, you will want to be certain that your real estate agent has the marketing acumen to promote your property with creativity, skill, and intent. What are their marketing strategies? Do they employ a marketing team to assist with their efforts, or do they manage them on their own? Ideally, you will want to find someone who is well-connected to superb photographers, videographers, and wordsmiths–people who will collaborate with your real estate agent to ensure your home dazzles and entices prospective buyers. Even if you are a home buyer, you will want to ensure they have marketing talents. Why? It indicates they are invested in their profession and keep an edge in their industry.

Discussing the neighborhood with your realtor will provide you with great insights. Do they know the best restaurants nearby? What is the school district like, and the region’s public services? How are the neighbors, and what is the neighborhood’s noise level? As a home buyer, this will provide you with invaluable information that could shape your decision (or steer you in another direction). As a seller, it will indicate they will be able to speak freely and confidently with prospective buyers of your home – and capable of pointing out your neighborhood’s most outstanding facets.

A real estate agent who is profoundly involved in their region indicates that they are not just in the profession for the money but are passionate about the area and avid advocates of its inhabitants. Often, this can be discovered in their website bio or a Google search. A real estate agent who contributes to the community in some way is personally and professionally invested in its present and future. This shows they likely want what is best for the area. Which, whether you are moving into or away from Berkeley, ought to be imperative.

Michael Robertson is just this kind of realtor – an expert who has integrity and profound investment in the San Francisco Bay Area. Whether you’re searching for Berkeley, CA homes for sale or want to put your property on the market, he will deliver you a superb and satisfying experience.