Real Estate Agents and Realtors

Curious about Realtors?

We write regular articles about average real estate agent commission rates, the number of real estate agents working in the Portland metro area, the difference between different types of local real estate licenses, where to find the best real estate agent reviews, best questions to ask when interviewing local agents, and much more. Enjoy!

house appraisal

How a REALTOR® in Portland can stop a bad Appraisal.

July 25, 2012

These days appraisals are at the top of the deal killer list for residential home sales. Demand in the Portland home market is up and often the market itself doesn’t catch up fast enough. This means that appraisers will be looking at old information that is skewing the way the bank is looking at the current sale. Also, the days have long past where a Realtor can choose an appraiser they trust. Appraisers are virtually randomly selected by the lender with no input permitted. Given these facts, what can be done to stop an appraiser from killing your Portland home sale? 1. Have your Portland Realtor meet the appraiser at the property. Not all appraisers are willing to talk with...

portland real estate agents

How to pick a Portland Real Estate Agent.

May 29, 2012

Since I work with Portland Real Estate Agents everyday on a number of transactions and hear all sorts of things from various people, I thought I’d write a post on choosing a real estate agent (even if you don’t choose myself, though I hope you’d consider it). 1. Customer Service. No matter how experienced and agent is, no matter how much education they have, no matter how good their marketing package is, if they don’t have a customer service focus, don’t pick them. Customer service means picking up the phone or at least calling back within the same day. Customer service means updating the client regularly as the transaction progresses. No Portland real estate agent is worth your time unless...

realtor or real estate agent

REALTOR® in Portland vs. Portland Real Estate Agent

April 9, 2012

Logos for all three REALTOR® associations. Not all Portland Real Estate Agents are REALTORS®. The term “REALTOR®” is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. All REALTORS® in Portland are real estate agents, but not all Portland real estate agents are REALTORS®. This membership is much more than a networking group. A REALTOR® in Portland is held to a higher standard, the Code of Ethics put out by the NAR, a 17 point pledge to give ethical customer service. For instance, the first pledge is a promise to put the interests of buyers and sellers ahead of their own and to treat all parties honestly. All...