The best, most proven way to buy and sell property in the hottest U.S. housing markets is to hire a real estate agent. When you’re looking for condos in Los Angeles or for Inglewood real estate, it will almost always be in your best interest to rely on a professional to improve your experience and achieve your goals. As you search for the right agent for you, you should be on the lookout for certain positive traits. You want to make sure you’ve got a rock star professional on your side who will make your real estate dreams come true.

When a market is particularly intense, as Los Angeles’ is, good agents must be unflinchingly honest with their clients. After all, if something isn’t working or they make a serious mistake, your realtor could be risking thousands (if not millions) of dollars of your hard-earned money by not being honest with you.

While you shouldn’t pick an agent who’s judgmental or rude, you should look for a professional dedicated to honesty. Finding the top houses for sale in Inglewood requires a level of forthrightness and a code of ethics. You never want a realtor who is willing to let you make serious mistakes just to please you. Instead, choose someone who is willing to ruffle some feathers if it means you win a better sale or bag your dream home.

One sign of a great realtor is their ability to connect with their clients, especially across a wide range of personalities and styles. This behavior often demonstrates that they put a lot of extra work into being the agent that Inglewood real estate owners need. For example, if an agent participates in a variety of hobbies and community activities, they’re probably great at socializing and networking with local homeowners and will go the extra mile for their clients.

Moreover, when looking for signs of an attentive, likable realtor, pay attention to how they act while you interview them. If they seem to understand your needs, wants, and time constraints and if you seem to "click," that's a good sign. It often proves that they’re listening and willing to work with your lifestyle and necessities while looking for houses for sale in Inglewood.

While a good realtor should obviously have a thorough grasp of the local market and buying and selling real estate, it’s often a positive sign when your agent has bonus talents. For example, interior design is a common secondary skill that high-tier realtors use to stage and sell homes. Staging homes has proven to be one of the most lucrative ways to improve a home’s value. It’s a no-brainer that realtors with design skills can flex those skills in order to help a home show better and therefore garner higher offers.

In addition, an agent with a background in marketing, copywriting, interpreting the law, negotiating, and similar useful skills can put you ahead of the competition. The more involved your agent is during every step of the process, the better your Inglewood real estate journey will be.

If you want the best opportunities for your local real estate, nothing helps more than having a well-networked agent. For starters, if your realtor has networked with multiple other local realtors, it means they have faster access to new listings or possible buyers. With connections like that, it makes the process faster for buyers and sellers alike. So, while interviewing agents, ask if they’ve attended local networking events near houses for sale in Inglewood. The ones that have are more likely to have those invaluable connections and opportunities in their back pocket.

Meanwhile, other realtors aren’t the only vital network connections of an effective realtor. In the case of Inglewood real estate, agents should have a laundry list of fantastic household services to help you comfortably adjust to your home. For example, many of the top realtors are networked with a favorite lender that should be able to help your home-selling process move along smoothly. A high-profile agent should also be able to connect you with some of the best local HVAC technicians, plumbers, and more.

You should both like and get along with your realtor. However, a personal connection should also come with professional courtesy. For a positive experience looking for houses for sale in Inglewood, find a top agent who is an effective and available communicator.

In hot markets, this is a key factor in real estate success. After all, you don’t want to lose out on your dream home because your agent was too busy to do a tour or because they didn’t communicate how quickly you needed to put in an offer. The average LA home goes off the market in a little over a month, so you’ll need to have your paperwork and plans in order and move quickly to snag the right property.

If a realtor is clear and open with how they word every text, email, or phone call and their responses are prompt, it’s a great sign you’ve found a good one.

For the smart home buyer or seller, choosing an agent with deep local knowledge is the best thing they could do. Whether on their website or their LinkedIn, check how long any realtor has been working in Inglewood real estate — the longer, the better.

Local experience is also a great sign that they’ll be able to find a home that fits your needs more holistically. After all, an average realtor can find a home that fits your family's needs. A fantastic one will find the best home, neighborhood, commute, and community for you. 

Though it’s easy for clients to forget, hiring a realtor who stays up-to-date on technology is important for buyers looking for houses for sale in Inglewood. If an agent’s website is attractive, functional, and effectively markets their brand, they’ll probably be able to advertise your home effectively online, too. A realtor’s website should provide easy access to referrals and their credentials. A pleasant, accessible site is a green light to proceed with that agent.

Internet-savvy realtors can also fill gaps in their LA knowledge with all the information online,  so make sure the agent you choose can also handle the digital aspects of real estate marketing for you.

Ready to start the buying or selling process? Reach out to experienced agent Jason Lowery to help you with all your LA-area real estate needs. Jason works hand-in-hand with his clients to find them the best real estate to suit their needs. He’s collaborative, experienced, and ready to help you on your home-buying journey. Reach out today!