What's Trust Got To Do With It?

After a chat with another broker on today's real estate tour of Mercer Island, I got to thinking about how in real estate--like most relationships--trust is the foundation.

While your relationship with your Realtor may not last decades, it will last months or even years with some ultra-high-end properties. A real estate transaction is also probably one of the bigger deals you'll make in your life. So why do so many home buyers and sellers go with an agent they don't trust?

Sure, maybe you say to yourself, "Of course I trust my Realtor." Your Realtor may even be a friend or family member, but you are still hiring that person to do a job. However, if you find yourself arguing every suggestion he or she makes and thinking you could do the job better yourself, there's no trust.

Your Realtor is there to advise you on the real estate market, the particular home(s) you may be buying or selling, and how the process works. You are working with a Realtor because that person is a professional. A real estate consultant. He or she spends probably spends a lot of time out in the field, viewing homes and property, studying the market statistics, and learning about other aspects of real estate like staging or construction methods.

Your Realtor makes a commitment to you to help you buy and/or sell a house and work in your best interest. Your end of the commitment? Listen, consider their advice, and be honest with your thoughts and feelings.

So take some time and find a Realtor that you like working with and that you trust. It's not all just about the number of homes he or she has sold, or other stats like sold price/list price or how many days on market. Yes, those are important numbers to consider, but if you just pick the one with the best looking resume and you don't like working with them, it's probably going to be a rough road to closing.

Real estate is a partnership between client and agent. We can always advise, but we can't set the listing price on your home. We can help a buyer find a house you love and give advice on what the offer should look like, but you are the one who decides what to offer. And in the end, isn't it much more fun to take the real estate journey with someone you enjoy and trust?