If you’re trying to buy a home in Minneapolis, you most likely have a ton of questions. How many rooms do you need? What neighborhood should you search in? Do I need central air? How do mortgages work? Luckily, a realtor can take all of the guesswork out of buying a house.

In order to have the best buyer-realtor relationship, you should find an agent that works for your happiness. Here are 20 qualities to look for in a Minneapolis realtor.

1) Work with a Licensed, Full-time Realtor

A full-service agent will be there for you whenever you need. They are better suited to manage any problems that may arise during price negotiations, the home inspection or signing the mortgage contract. A full-time realtor is more likely to know the nuances and fluctuations of the Minneapolis housing market, along with having access to more resourceful firms.

2) Work with an Experienced Realtor

A realtor with more experience will be better able to find a home that’s right for you. They will know the right questions to ask, which homes are a good fit for your needs and maintain strong relationships with lenders they work with.

3) Work with a Realtor who has Market Knowledge

Is that home you’re looking at priced right for the neighborhood it’s in? You may get a bad deal if the realtor you’re working with doesn’t have strong market knowledge. It’s hard as a shopper to know the true value of a home, that’s why you need an experienced realtor to offer key insight.

4) Work with an Agent who shows Passion, Dedication & Enthusiasm

Buying a home is one of the most exciting events of your life – having a realtor who is equally as excited will only help the process be as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

5) Talk with your Realtor about their Recent Sales

Ask your realtor to give you a list of the homes that they’ve sold in the past and ask some of the following questions for each listing:

• What was the asking price and what was the sale price?
• How long did the buying process take?
• Did the realtor disclose the right information to understand risks and obligations?

6) Ensure Your Realtor has Proper Licensing

Minnesota has a board that licenses real estate agents. Check with the Minnesota Department of Commerce to find out if your prospective realtor is licensed to sell homes in the state and if there are any complaints or reprimands on his record.

7) Work with an Agent who Maintains an Open Line of Communication

The real estate business moves fast – especially in Minneapolis. In many areas, houses that go up for sale can have multiple offers in the same day. If your realtor isn’t available when you need him, you may end up missing out on your dream home. On the flip side, make sure that you’re making yourself available in case the realtor comes upon an actionable opportunity.

8) Work with an Agent that is Truthful

Whether you want to hear it or not, your realtor needs to be entirely truthful with you as you go through the buying process. Whether it’s his opinion on ugly carpet or increasing the amount of an offer, no matter what the situation is, a realtor needs to tell you the truth.

9) Money Isn’t Everything

While yes, money is a necessary factor in buying a house, there are other things to consider as well. Even if you do get the home for under asking price, what is the timeline of the sellers? What are the financing conditions and what property adjustments might need to be made? There are many things to consider, a realtor that can manage every aspect of the home buying process will help you save stress.

10) Find a Realtor with a Big Network

A real estate agent that has a large network will ultimately help you with any problems that are outside of his scope of work. Whether you need a recommendation on a home inspector, a mortgage broker, an insurance agent or the area handyman, there’s always a problem that could arise. A realtor that has a “team” that will provide you with the professionals you may need.

11) Work with an Agent Who Gets Creative with Offers

Much of the sale is dependent upon the quality of offer the seller receives. Not just the price, but the language within the offer – will it excite the seller and represent the buyers in the best light? Find out more about how realtors can get creative with offers in this Zillow article.

12) Real Estate has Moved Online

Your realtor should offer broad online real estate services. Today, most home transactions start on the Internet, meaning buying and selling updates happen in real time. If your agent isn’t online, then you should consider pulling the plug on your relationship.

13) Look at the Realtors Current Listings

Check out your realtors online listings, including the agency’s website or database sites such as Realtor.com, offering the Multiple Service Listing (MLS). Do they have a strong web presence? Are they selling homes that are in your price range or the area in which you want to buy? Does the agent have so many listings that may indicate that you’re likely to be just another number? These are all questions to consider when looking at current listings

14) Make Sure Your Realtor has Assistance, From their Office or Otherwise 

Just like a busy lawyer, a full-time realtor has several clients to manage. It’s important that your realtor has back up who can help out should a time constraint arise. If someone calls to discuss an offer on a potential home, you don’t want to leave that call unreturned. It’s imperative that your realtor has someone on hand, either a capable assistant or licensed partner, to help out during pressing situations.

15) Work with a Realtor that You Trust

It may sound basic, but having trust in your realtor is of utmost importance. Real estate agents in general can carry negative stereotypes, but you shouldn’t accept that as normal. Without a certain level of trust, you will not experience the full benefits of a full-time realtor.

16) Understand the Realtor Designation System

Just like doctors work in specialties, so do realtors. Before hiring a realtor, there are different designations for those within the industry that you should understand. Here’s what they stand for:

• Broker

To obtain a broker’s license, one must spend up to three years working as a real estate agent.  Real estate brokers can work as independent real estate agents or have other agents working for them.

• Realtor

Realtor, with a capital “R”, means that a real estate agent is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and follows the Realtor Code of Ethics.

• Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent is a professional who has passed all required real estate classes and licensing exams in Minnesota. It’s the starting point for most real estate professionals and means they aren’t bound to the Realtor Code of Ethics.

• CRS

A Certified Residential Specialist is the most difficult designation to obtain, with less than 4% of all realtors achieving this specialty. It’s obtained through high-level formal education and real world transactional experience.

• ABR

An Accredited Buyer’s Representative credential shows that the realtor has completed both formal classes and transactional field experience. Less than 30% of agents carry this designation.

• SRES

Senior Real Estate Specialist realtors help those home buyers and sellers over the age of 50.

17) Negotiation is Key

Strong negotiation skills are a great quality to have in a realtor. A realtor represents you, meaning that their job is to get you the best price for the best property possible. From initial offers to counter-offers and closing costs, there are many prices to negotiate, and you don’t want to lose a dime!

18) Look for Reviews of your Realtor Online

If personally calling or emailing past clients sounds like a hassle, head online and search for your realtor in Google. Sites like Zillow, Redfin and Trulia offer public review pages for countless agents. If you can’t find any reviews for your realtor, there are probably reviews of his agency on sites like Angie’s List and Yelp.

19) Work with a Realtor that Knows the Neighborhood

There are so many neighborhoods in Minneapolis that offer homes of varying value; a realtor needs to sell in the places that you’re searching. Neighborhoods like Uptown, Loring Park, Linden Hills, Powderhorn, and of course the suburbs, all have nuances in property value and availability. The best Minneapolis realtor will be able to place you in a neighborhood that’s perfect for your price point.

20) Work with a Realtor that is Tenacious

Tenacity is a key quality in any successful realtor. They need to get after whatever it is you want. They need to follow-up with the buyers and sellers quickly after each time a house is shown, and should display a high work ethic overall.
So there you have it. When buying a home in Minneapolis, consider these 20 qualities when starting your house hunt find. Find a realtor that knows which questions to ask, and how to answer them and you’ll be well on your way to finding your dream home. We wish you success!

Now off to find a new home! Thanks for reading ‘Things to Look For in a Minneapolis Realtor‘!