Finding a Real Estate Agent in Bozeman

There are over 1,200 real estate agents in the Bozeman area. That’s a lot of realtors for a town of Bozeman's size! How does one possibly decide who to work with? Chances are you know someone who is an agent or have a friend of a friend who is one. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should work with them. When making the decision to buy or sell a home, it’s important to make sure you are working with the right person. You want an agent who is looking out for your best interests, is willing to answer your questions and will offer helpful advice throughout the real estate process. Here are the top qualities to look for when you are trying to find a real estate agent in Bozeman.

Communication

This is a big one! If you can’t talk to your agent, they are not going to be able to help you. Having open lines of communication and an ongoing dialog with them can prevent frustration throughout the process. You need to be able to tell your agent what your wants and needs are. Real estate is a personal experience, you want someone who will listen (actually listen!) to you and is able to be upfront with you, even if they are telling you something you may not want to hear. Often you can tell at first impression if this person is someone you can communicate with, but if you are unsure ask previous clients or check reviews. Word of mouth is helpful in Bozeman's real estate market, so talking to someone who has worked with the agent firsthand should be able to give you valuable information.

Knowledge of the market

Knowing what is happening in the real estate market is essential, especially in a real estate market like Bozeman's. An experienced agent has seen the market change over the years and can offer insight. They know how to properly price a home based on the current market and can advise you when it comes to putting an offer in on a home. Along with knowledge of the market, it's also important you work with an agent that is well-connected with other agents. With the limited supply of housing inventory we're seeing in Bozeman, you want an agent who knows about a home before it hits the market. A well-connected agent networks with other local agents so they know about listings before they go live. This can give you an advantage in a competitive market.

Honesty

You have to be able to trust your agent and know they are making decisions that are in your best interest. It can be hard to know right when you meet someone what that trust level will be. Ask questions at your initial meeting and go with your gut feeling on this - it is more often than not right!

Problem solver

Gone are the days of putting in an offer and moving in a month later. The real estate market in Bozeman is crazy right now, problems are likely to arise and you want to have an agent who is willing to work through these obstacles with you. Your agent should be the expert in real estate and help make the process as smooth as possible. Often this takes someone who knows how to problem solve and not just give up on a deal when things get tough.

Self-motivated

Real estate agents are independent contractors, they will work under a broker in an office but they are working for themselves. They don’t have a boss telling them how to do their job so they have to be self-motivated enough to get things done. Of course, a good real estate office will have a broker to guide them through the process and help troubleshoot problems, but the agent is essentially on their own and you want to know they can handle this. At our office, we take a collaborative approach to business which means when you work with a Bozeman Real Estate Group agent, you get our collective 350 years of experience!