Hear we are again. It is about a month before your lease is up and you haven't even started to contemplate looking for apartments. The panic starts to set in. You start to believe that since you waited so long to start looking, that somehow, every vacant apartment in NY has vanished and you have to take the first one you see. It's at the point where you can't do the search yourself anymore, and you're going to need some outside help. "I've got to work with an agent," is the thought that strikes through your brain; however, you're worried. You've heard the horror stories about the agent that showed up an hour late, making the client wait in the rain, eating a slice of pizza when they showed up, talking on the cell phone the whole time, and then proceeded to show the single worst group of apartments you've ever seen in your life. Knowing all these factors, you are hesitant, but let me ease your hesitations...
Let's start very basically. The agent that you have decided to work with is a HUMAN! Yes, believe it or not, real estate agents come from the very same planet and same species that you do. Shocking, but true. They can be empathetic, understanding, and even helpful! A good agent should be all of those things combined; however, the most important characteristic of a good agent, is that they are a good listener. They should hear every requirement and wish for your new dwelling, in detail and catalog each bit of information either mentally, or physically. How can you tell if your agent is a good listener? Within the first 5 minutes of meeting. The agent should be spending most of that first meeting asking questions, and expressing curiosity in you, the client. If the first thing that happens when you walk into your potential new agents office, is they start to give you advice on what you should be looking for, then this is a bad place to start; especially given that the agent doesn't actually know you at all. Now that you've found the agent with the most potential, and seemingly the best listening qualities, it's time to tell your agent what you are looking for.
Am I going to tell you how to be a good client? Maybe. But moreover, I am going to tell you how to get the most out of your agent. First and foremost, your agent may be the best listener in the world, but there is no way they can read your mind. You may not be the most decisive client; in fact, you may have no idea what you want, but you are going to discover what you want the more apartments you look at. As you view each apartment, you are getting a taste for the inventory and what it has to offer. You are realizing what you would like and wouldn't like, and the picture is slowly coming into shape. The difference between finding what you want quickly, or slowly is up to you. How? Did you decide to tell your agent about what you are learning about apartments? Are you letting him know what you like and don't like? If so, excellent! With each apartment, at this point, it should feel like you are getting closer and closer to what you want. Or, have you not told your agent anything about the experiences you've been having? If so, odds are good that you are getting more and more lost as you keep searching, and your agent is feeling the same way.
The more you and your agent communicate, the easier it is going to be. Take the search seriously. Understand that this is not about finding you a phone, a tv, or even a car; this is about finding you a home.
Your agent is your representative in all things real estate. You should be able to trust them and understand that they are there to help and not to harm. Get to know your agent so there is a certain level of comfort. But always keep in mind that agents, especially buyer's agents, are never trying to force you to rent something you won't like. If your agent shows you something you do like, than you are far more inclined to take it.
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