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Hiring and Interviewing Dearborn Realtors
Compare Dearborn Michigan Real Estate Agents |
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With so many real estate agents to choose from, how do you know which one to hire? Below I am going to share many secrets
based on my 24+ years of experience. Questions you need to ask, things to look out for...all very important when decided who is
going to be the best Realtor® to hire to market and sell your home.
Keep in mind that all real estate agents do not have the same level of knowledge and experience and they
definitely don't provide the same level of service. Getting a real estate license in the State of Michigan
requires that you only take a
forty hour class and then pass a fairly easy multiple choice test...that's it!
Once licensed and signed up with a broker a new licensee may then legally
represent a client in the sale or purchase of a home without any further training or experience. That's a pretty scary thought!
Follow these important tips to make sure you find and hire the "BEST" Realtor®...
Be wary of:
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An agent that suggests a high price
At first you may think...great...this agent can get me more money than the other agent(s) can. Let's go back to the
old adage...if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
One of two things may be happening here. Either the agent just doesn't know the market or the agent is
trying to "buy your listing." To "buy your listing" means that the agent tell you a high price to get you to sign a
contract and then after you are locked in, they will work on you to drop the price.
Don't be fooled by agents promising a "High Price". The price is what it is. Your biggest concern
should be finding an experienced, full time agent that will give you honest answers and has a great
marketing plan like Steve Hatfield.
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An agent that sells 10's of millions of $$ in real estate a year
Any agent that sells an excessive amount of homes and boasts that he/she sells 10's of millions or 100's of millions of dollars in real estate every year may be so busy that you will be "just a number" to them.
Their strategy is simply this: List tons of homes, some sell, some don't...it is just a numbers game to them.
Fall victim to their smooth talk and you too may end up being just a number.
They will
probably claim that they have all the buyers, get the most buyers, etc. but the fact is, if your home is on the local MLS (multiple listing service) it is going to be seen by those buyers anyway.
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An agent that is vague about how long they have been in real estate
If you ask an agent how long they have been in the business and they simply say..."seems like forever" that agent
is probably new in the business. Any agent that has been in the real estate industry for a period of time will happily
tell you exactly how long they have been licensed.
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Just sign here Mr./Ms. Seller
If you find that you are interviewing a real estate agent and they keep pressuring you to sign, sign, sign...run!
This is your
biggest investment and if the agent is pressuring you now what is it going to be like later?
You deserve personal service and
an agent that is willing to take some time to work with you...not continually pressure you.
You may not know this but there are professional trainers that teach real estate agents how to use prewritten
scripts to overcome every possible objection you, as a seller, could have. Agents that use these scripts can be so smooth
you won't even know what hit you. Do you want to be just a number and a paycheck to agents like this?
Steve Hatfield does NOT use pre-written scripts to trick his clients into doing what he wants.
His reputation and business has been built on a solid foundation of providing clients with excellent service and honest
answers for 24+ years now. With his guidance, Steve's clients are able to make informed decisions and
therefore increasing their chances of
becoming a successful home seller in today's difficult market.
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I will list your home and charge you next to nothing Mr./Ms. Seller
Discount prices often mean discounted services. As with anything else in life you get what you pay for whether you know it
now or find out down the road after it is too late.
In addition, if the agent breaks down and reduces their commission if you ask them to, how well will they hold
up during price negotiations for your home? Will they have the ability to negotiate the highest price for you?
No they won't and that means you'll probably get less $$ for your home due to their poor negotiating skills. Something to think about!
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I will hold your home open and run ads in the newspaper
Ok, so what are you really going to do to market my home? The classified section of the newspaper has dwindled down to next to nothing...and why? Because people don't look
through classifieds like they used to. They look online...just like you are looking online for information right now!
As for open houses...at today's gas prices, buyers aren't driving around looking for signs and open houses like they used
to. Today's buyers are on the Internet and want to see hundreds of homes with multiple photos and
virtual tours in the same amount of time it used to take to find and visit a handful of open houses on a Sunday afternoon.
If the agent you are interviewing hasn't moved into the 21st Century and is still relying on obsolete marketing
methods like open houses and newspaper advertising
as their primary marketing methods you need to find another agent!
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Important questions to ask:
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How many years have you been selling real estate?
An agent who has been in the real estate business "full time" for at least 7 years or more should have enough experience to handle most situations. Keep in mind that recent surveys have found that approximately 70-80% of all new real estate licensees "drop out of the business" within the first 2 years.
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Steve Hatfield has been a licensed Realtor® servicing clients in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Livonia,
Canton, Plymouth, Northville, Novi. Westland, Garden City, Redford, Allen Park, Southgate and many more downriver communities since 1987!
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Do you sell real estate full time?
An agent that relies on real estate as a full time profession to earn their living will certainly
be much more motivated to do whatever it takes to get your property sold. A part time agent will usually have another source of income and is probably selling real estate to supplement that income.
In addition, part time agents usually don't have the time to keep abreast of the ever changing market conditions, local housing inventory or the latest financing options that a prospective buyer may want to use when making an offer on your home.
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Since becoming licensed by the State of Michigan in 1987, Steve Hatfield always has been and
continues to be, a Full Time professional Realtor®.
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Have you had advance real estate training / earned any designations?
While advanced training and real estate industry designations or certifications will not guarantee superior service or better results from an agent, statistics show that real estate agents with advanced training, industry designations and/or certificates are usually more experienced and productive.
A few professional designations and/or certifications to look for are the CRS - Certified Residential Specialist, ABR - Accredited Buyer Representative and the e-PRO - Certified Internet Professional. These designations and certifications require a substantial investment of an agent's time to attain. If you hire an agent with two or more of these designations or certificates it is a good indication that the agent has made a strong commitment to his or her career and clients.
For more information about ABR, CRS and e-PRO be sure to visit the About ABR, CRS, and e-PRO" page on this web site.
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Steve Hatfield IS an ABR, CRS and e-PRO certified agent! His clients benefit greatly from the
additional knowledge and skills he has obtained from the training required to earn these coveted designations.
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How much real estate do you sell per year?
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What will you do to market my home?
Before you hire an agent you need to do your homework and actually look at how they market homes...
particularly how they
market homes online since this is where the majority of today's home buyers shop for homes.
You'll want to start by checking the quality of the agent's online advertising to be sure that...
- The agent has their own web site (not just a page on another web site)
- The agent will post multiple photos, a virtual tour and detailed description on Realtor.com
- The pictures / virtual tours are of a high quality and ad copy is well written
Simply asking an agent if they do virtual tours is not enough because each agent sets their own
standard in relation to what they are willing to do, how good they are at it and how good the quality is. Don't settle
for anything less that the best...you'll need every advantage in this competitive selling market.
The next thing is to look at is the quality of print materials available that would be made available to prospective
buyers at your home. Many agents simply run off
copies of the MLS (multiple listing service) printout for an outside or inside flyer and that will NOT make your home
stand out. You need to hire an agent who will present your home well in print marketing.
The bottom line when it comes to marketing homes to today's buyers is to market to them where they are searching for
homes. Buyers are NOT looking in newspapers or going to open houses these days. They shop online
just like you are looking online right now for information about selling a home. You need an agent who is
tech savvy and has changed with the times. That agent in this area is Steve Hatfield.
View Steve's on-line marketing plan by clicking here.
Steve will do a GREAT job of marketing your home!
Be sure you check out this important information...
What you need to look for when reviewing an agent's work
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Steve Hatfield is very well positioned to capture today's buyers. For over 12 years he has perfected and expanded
his online and print marketing. He takes the extra time needed to produce very high quality Virtual Video Tours and
print materials so that his clients will have the competitive edge they need in today's market.
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Are you knowledgeable in the area of mortgage financing?
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Do you have a licensed personal assistant or business partner?
The best scenario for you as a seller is to hire an agent that DOES have a licensed business partner or at the very least,
a licensed assistant.
Why is this you might ask?Because if you hire only one agent that works by themselves, what
happens if they go out of town? Get sick? Has an emergency? Who will take care of you
if an offer comes in at that time, you are trying to close
your transaction or have a issue that needs to be resolved quickly? An agent working on their own may ask another
agent to cover for them but it is likely that the "stand in agent" won't be as motivated to help you as your own agent.
So, be sure to ask these "what if" questions and again, if you find a great agent that has a partner or licensed assistant...it is a real bonus for you as a seller!
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Steve joined forces with another fully licensed Realtor® in 1994. Vicki, herself a successful Realtor with over
20 years experience in the real estate business is extremely knowledgeable and dedicated to providing the very highest level of service possible to all of our clients.
Vicki now coordinates and manages all of the many behind-the-scene details that help attain the goal of
a smooth and pleasant real estate transaction for all of our clients. In addition, she spends a great deal of time
walking our clients through the home buying/selling process as well as coordinating and creating
much of the marketing we do which is a huge job in itself!
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Some Final Thoughts...
As a savvy home seller, you need to do your homework if you are going to find a great agent to market and sell your home.
When you shop for an agent, you'll find many agents that will tell you anything and everything that you want to hear just
to get you to sign on the bottom line. Don't fall victim to an agent playing to your emotions...you need to try to look
at the sale of your home as a business transaction.
The fact is that your home is most likely your largest investment so you need to find an honest,
trustworthy agent who will be up front with you from day one and truly look out for your interests.
That along with an agent who is experienced and
offers a focused array of high quality marketing services is what will give you the best chances of
becoming a successful home seller in today's competitive market. That agent in this area is Steve Hatfield, ABR, CRS, e-PRO.
Get your FREE Listing Agent Comparison Worksheet Now
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Be a savvy home seller and make sure you pick the BEST Realtor® to market your home!
Steve Hatfield has the...
Experience, marketing services and qualifications to get your home sold!
Honesty, sincerity, professionalism, results!
Contact Steve if you are thinking about selling your home!
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Mission Statement
In the world of real estate, there is no substitute for experience. As an experienced real estate agent, I will guide you through the complexities of buying or selling a home, help you to achieve your goals and strive to make the final outcome exciting rather than stressful!
Whether you are buying a home or selling your existing home, please allow me the opportunity to assist you with your real estate transaction. I am prepared to exceed your highest expectations through exceptional service, reliable communication and knowledge of the local real estate market.
Steve Hatfield
Realtor®, ABR, CRS, SFR, e-PRO |
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REALTOR® ABR, CRS, e-PRO Certified
CENTURY 21 Curran & Christie
25636 Ford Road
Dearborn Heights, MI 48127
Office: (313) 274-7200
Contact Steve Now
Michigan Real Estate Salesperson #6501221773
Licensed Realtor® Since 1987
   
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Steve Hatfield, Realtor® provides real estate / home buying and selling services in Dearborn Michigan, Dearborn Heights Michigan, the Wayne County MI (Southeast Michigan) communities of Redford, Westland, Garden City, Livonia, Canton, Plymouth, Northville, Allen Park, Taylor, Southgate, Wyandotte and the Oakland County cities of Farmington / Farmington Hills and Novi Michigan. | |
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In accordance with the law, the properties, real estate services and homes for sale featured on this web site are offered without respect to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, physical limitations / disabilities or familiar status. |
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REALTOR® is a registered collective membership trademark that identifies a real estate agent / professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict code of ethics.
Century 21 Real Estate Corporation © and sm trademark and servicemark of Century 21 Real Estate Corporation. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each office Independently Owned and Operated.
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Copyright © 1996 - Steve Hatfield
COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
Graphics and content may not be reproduced or copied in any way with out written permission
from Steve Hatfield. Persons or companies found to have stolen content and/or graphics from this web site will be
prosecuted to the full extent of the law for copyright infringement.
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