Before You Choose a REALTOR Guidelines

Before you choose your REALTOR, I highly recommend you...

1. Talk to your friends and family who have recently purchased or sold a home within the past 90-180 days. Why? Especially in this market, you need an agent who is ACTIVE and CURRENT. It is important you ask friends and family you TRUST. If you do a "what realtor do you recommend" post on social media, you're going to get like 70-100 REALTORS to choose from. Some of these people have never even worked with that agent. 
2. Go to realtor.com, and find REALTORS where you live/want to live.
   1. Research!! R-E-A-D their client testimonials and reviews.
3. Look at the real estate agent's social media.
4. Scehedule a time and interview your agent. You can interview multiple agents, but once you sign the offical paperwork, it's offical. You want to make sure that your
   1. personalities compliment each other
   2. understand the goals 
   3. understand the brokerage (how many team members)
   4. establish a mutual understanding of timeline, showing scehedule, geographic competency, etc.
   5. learn about the home buying/ home selling process
   6. WHATEVER is IMPORTANT TO YOU!

However, sometimes people chose an agent based on

• the real estate sign that is at the property they want to purchase
• image
• mutual friends
• neighbor
• etc.

... and if you are HAPPY with the agent's service, that is all that matters!

Here are VERY important topics of conversation you need to establish with your REALTOR, prior to signing paperwork.

1.Fair Housing

You want to look in one part of down, but your real estate agent will only show you another part of town… This is NOT GOOD. If you are qualified to purchase a home, and the home is available, annnnnd the home is in your budget, you should absolutely be able to see that home.

2.Geographic Competency

In short, this means being an expert about a geographical area. Your realtor has to have current knowledge, facts, data, and resources for the area!

• I lived in Plano, Texas for 10 years, but haven’t lived there in 15 years. I’ve lived there, but that doesn’t mean I am an expert.
• I have been to San Antonio a few times in my life for vacation. Just because I have been there, doesn’t mean I am an expert.

3.Time

You need to make sure schedules line up, or the agent has other co-agents to show your the property. In this market, time is everything!

Kelly Raulston

“Reliable and Ready” REALTOR® since 2016. I was born in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, but was raised in Texas since 1997. When I found out we were moving to Plano, Texas, I remember looking forward to riding a horse to school and a brand-new pair of cowboy boots! Growing up in Plano prepared me to be competitive, quick, and to have a strong work ethic. I graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Axe’em Jacks! That is where my love for East Texas began. The nature, warm smiles, football games, and community values can't be beat! I graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. I was a middle school math teacher in Tyler, Texas. I met my husband, Travis, in Sunday school, and we have been married since September 2016. I love being a REALTOR® in East Texas! Relationships are genuine, the area is beautiful, and the market is rockin’! I am an involved REALTOR® to better the community. Some of the organizations I am involved with are: The Professional Development Committee, Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee, and Tyler Educational Networking Group. Some awards I have won were “The Hustle Award” in 2016, and “Rookie of the Year” in 2017. When I am not working with my clients, I like to spend quality time with my friends and family doing the following: running, target practice, read and participate in book club, and playing with my dachshund Greta.