Finding the best real estate agent: communication is key
As technology continues to develop at an unprecedented rate, real estate agents find themselves shifting to more advanced way of marketing, including social media and apps, but Century 21’s Charles Tarbey believes that the only way to make the most out of a negotiation on properties is still good old face-to-face communication.
While social media marketing has paved the way for faster and less time-consuming transactions, it has somehow also made most agents forget about the essence of their profession, according to Charles.
“The market place, it’s in a difficult process right now… A lot of [agents] are relying on social media marketing to get the job done. That’s part of it, but that’s not all of it,” he said.
“Real estate practitioners have avoided communication with buyers and sellers. They’re all sorts of fancy tools that avoid any conversation. It’s all about the social media marketing aspect… where you don’t have to talk to anybody.”
For him, the best real estate practitioners are those whose work is able to adjust to changing times while still grounded on a basic foundation for negotiation—good communication.
After all, an agent’s job—whether he is working for a buyer or a seller—is to communicate the message of his client and work together with all parties involved to determine a middle ground by matching their needs and requirements.
“I really do feel that the best real estate practitioners are the ones who are trained to communicate a message, the ones who are trained to build a relationship with both parties and ensure that they understand the needs of the buyers and sellers and they match those needs. I don’t think that’s a difficult process,” Charles said.
After more than four decades in real estate, working his way up to become the chairman of one of Australia’s largest real estate networks, he confidently attests that the ability to build relationships and negotiate effectively are still the best criteria for finding the best agent.
“The way with which we deliver the message has changed but, fundamentally, when we’re speaking to people, it’s exactly the same process… I think that negotiation is absolutely the critical part,” the real estate expert concluded.
Tune in to Charles Tarbey’s episode on The Smart Property Investment Show to know more about the secrets to negotiating with real estate agents to secure the best outcome for your property portfolio, as well as how property investors can work more effectively with real estate agents and sellers.
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