There are many benefits to limiting the amount of real estate agents you work with when searching for apartments in Boston. Oftentimes there will be a new agent you contact for each listing you find online. You can quickly find yourself talking to many agents and won’t be sure who you want to continue working with. Rather than working with a large handful of agents who may or may not be providing good service, it can be much better to narrow your list down to one or two quality agents. Because of this it’s helpful to know what to look for when picking who to work with and in this article I’d like to give you my top three traits that you should look for when making your selection.
Responsive
Responsiveness is a huge indicator of a quality leasing specialist. Rental focused agents often work with many clients at a time and are constantly out and about showing apartments. This may mean that they’re not always going to get back to you immediately, however an agent that can respond in a timely manner despite working with many clients is what you want to look for.
Not only is this a sign of competence, but with most apartments being first come first serve and the incredible speed of the market, it’s crucial that you move quickly throughout the search process. From seeing the unit as quickly as possible, to applying and signing the lease, you want to make sure that you are not waiting for your agent to move these processes along. Working with a quick agent will give you the best chance to apply first and secure your desired apartment.
Unfortunately, I’ve heard many stories of agents taking multiple days to respond to clients. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s ideal that you do not continue to work with them past any unit you originally inquired about. Mistakes can happen and emails get lost, however if an agent is continually taking a significant time to respond back to you, it’s likely best that you move on from them.
Trustworthy
The importance of this trait is obvious, however it cannot be overstated! Even just for your piece of mind, having an agent that you can trust is incredibly important. With most real estate agents being paid solely off of commission, it can sometimes make it more difficult in the realm of trust. You may feel as though an agent is just looking out for their own best interest and will convince you to rent an apartment you might not like. Fortunately, quality agents understand that in addition to it being the law, truly putting their clients first is better for everyone involved. Earning a client’s trust can earn an agent loyalty, repeat business, referrals and make the search process easier. Unlike a client that feels the agent is working against them, a trusting client can work closely with an agent, more like a team or partnership. It’s important to work with agents that understand this and will always put your best interests first.
A piece of value that agents offer that can get overlooked is their professional advice and guidance. If you are working with a trustworthy agent, you can actually listen and take their advice. A great example of this is when you are still in the beginning stages of touring apartments and they tell you it’s a great option that you should apply for. You would only take their advice if you actually trusted them, since you haven’t seen enough apartments to really know. The same concept goes for which apartments to tour, when to look and even help with figuring out search criteria such as budget and location. If you can’t trust your agent to give you honest advice that is in your best interest, you should not work with that agent.
Knowledgeable
Sometimes hard to find, a knowledgeable rental agent can make your search process much easier and even result in you finding a better apartment. From knowing how to creatively search for more options, to giving you advice on how to operate based on how the Boston market works, an educated agent can simply provide you with a lot more value.
You can usually determine an agent’s knowledge level only in person or over the phone. How do they respond to questions? Do they offer advice or insights about the market? Are they very familiar with their company’s own policies and processes? When you chat with your agent on a tour or over the phone, you can get a general sense of their knowledge level. If you get the feeling that they don’t really know what they are doing or seem to be making things up on the spot, it’s likely that they are not a knowledgeable agent.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, you can’t know if an agent has any of these traits until you start working with them. However, when you notice that an agent checks all three boxes it’s a pretty safe bet to not only continue working with them, but also allow them to really guide and advise you through the process. Working with one or two quality rental agents can really make for a smooth and easy leasing process, even in the madness that is the Boston Leasing Market. As always, good luck and happy hunting!
Author
Evan Bilton
Written: 07/20/2024
Contact Information
Evan@realty20.com
