One of my goals as a Realtor is to be able to up the standards of Realtors. We are professionals but sometimes the public doesn’t always see that and they have good reason too. I come across lots of questionable actions by Realtors that make me wonder and face palm myself. What in the world are they doing?
Anyway, rather than pointing those things out, I would rather point you to some practical visual signs that you are working with a true professional.
Follow Up – Professionals follow up with their clients. They call back when they say they’re going to call back and they don’t let inquiries get lost in their queue. By the way, yes, professionals have a queue. They set their priorities and tasks and assign which tasks need to be done in what order.
Marketing – When I see homes marketed with professional photography and videography, it stands out. A well written description of the home listed is also a good sign. If the Realtor has a pretty decent website with more than just the basics, I see that as a good sign. Mind you, there are Top Realtors out there with horrendously boring and simple websites. However, just because they’re a “Top Realtor”, doesn’t mean they are necessarily a professional. On the flip side, they may be professional, but just hasn’t focused much on their website.
Mannerisms – I don’t know about you, but when I think about professionals, I think of someone who has good manners. They say thanks, please, you’re welcome, no problem, no worries, etc…. They are helpful and talk and write in a nice way. I say Realtors should have excellent manners regardless of whether you’re their client or not and regardless of whether you are going to buy or sell with them.
Know what they DON’T specialize in – Professionals know what they are good at AND what they are NOT good at. Professional Realtors should know their job well AND know what they should outsource to. Realtors are not tax specialists and shouldn’t giving tax advice, legal advice, construction advice, etc… unless they have the appropriate certification or designations. Realtors can give tips on those things like “I learned from a previous situation this is what happened in the tax realm…” or “my accountant said…” or “my lawyer said…” but should always advise their clients to seek professional advice.
Full Disclosure – I rather be warned than be surprised. Professional Realtors are honest and disclose everything material to their clients. I say material meaning, our job is to reveal to our clients all material information that would influence our client’s decision making. So, telling my client what color the listing agent’s suit was today is not necessary. Especially important is that our job is to protect our clients from worse case scenarios and fully warn them. There’s a reason why companies that involve potentially dangerous activities have waiver forms for us to sign. It is not just about making sure they don’t get sued, but it’s also to let us know what could happen.
Yvonne Yang 
Carlos Garcia 
