Real estate hunter: how to choose?
Real estate hunter? Here are our tips on how to choose an apartment hunter.
Missions of the real estate hunter and advantages of using this professional
Because you do not necessarily have in mind all the missions of the real estate hunter and the advantages you can enjoy by calling on this professional, here is a short reminder. From research to the signing of the sales agreement, the real estate hunter plays a role that is as complete as it is useful. In addition, read our article on what you need to know before choosing an apartment hunter.
The missions of the real estate hunter
After discussing what you are looking for (family home, apartment for a young couple without children...), the real estate hunter makes you sign a simple or exclusive search mandate. The starting point for research is then given. The hunter selects various properties corresponding to your various criteria as well as your budget. Then comes the important step of pre-visits. The description of a property on paper (or on the web) allows you to get an idea, but there is nothing like going there. It is the apartment hunter who takes care of these pre-visits. He can thus ascertain the qualities and defects of the goods, but also check that there are no unpleasant surprises. Do you have one or more properties selected and visited by the professional who correspond to what you are looking for? He then suggests that you visit them yourself in his company. So you can see the property with your own eyes and ask various questions if you have any. You have fallen in love with a house, for example, and want to make an offer to buy it. Again, the real estate hunter takes care of it for you and can even negotiate the price if he considers it feasible. Likewise, he is in charge of the various administrative procedures that follow the purchase offer if it is accepted. He also accompanies you to the notary for the signing of the sales agreement. And that's not all! The hunter can also continue to help you after the signing of the sales agreement by putting you in contact with various professionals (movers, carpenters, builders, interior designers...) for example. But what are the advantages of using this real estate expert?
The advantages of using a real estate hunter
The advantages of trusting a real estate hunter to search for your property are numerous. First, he is a real estate professional. He is therefore up to date with the latest laws and others concerning the sector. He also knows what pitfalls to avoid or what to look for when looking for an apartment or a house.Second, the intervention of a hunter is synonymous with saving time for the buyer who does not have to do the research or visit various properties.Thirdly, calling on a real estate hunter is synonymous with security (unpleasant surprises avoided, purchase offer made at the fairest price...) .Fourth, the hunter can count on its professional network to have access to a greater number of properties, some of which are not are not even on the market yet (they are then called “off-market”) .Finally, the hunter works for all types of budgets, allows you to save money, but also to have peace of mind. Its transparency, its absence of bias and its tailor-made service are other significant assets. But to choose an apartment hunter, certain elements must be considered.
Tips for choosing an apartment hunter
“T” card, published fees, insurance... Here are some ways to choose the right apartment hunter.
Make sure the real estate hunter has the “T” card
What is a T card? It is a Professional Transaction Card. The real estate hunter is obliged to own one. It is law No. 70-9 of January 2, 1970, known as the Hoguet law, which imposes it.This law regulates the real estate profession and therefore makes the “T” card mandatory for property hunters, but also for real estate agents. At Home Select, we hold the T15423 card.
Check that the hunter is insured and that his fees are published
As stated on our site, “the real estate hunter undertakes [...] to take out professional liability insurance”.In addition, the property hunter is required to publish his fees. He can do this via his official website. For insurance purposes as well as for the publication of fees, these are legal obligations. A professional who does not respect them is therefore not in good standing. You can also ask the professional (s) you contact if they are or are part of a federation.
Ask the real estate hunter if he is a member of a federation
In France, there are two federations of real estate hunters. There are the FFCI (Fédération Française des Chasseurs Immobiliers) and the FNCI (Fédération Nationale des Chasseurs Immobiliers). The latter, to which Home Select adheres, is aimed at “individuals [...] customers of this service, to whom it guarantees respect for ethics and provides a quality label, [to] real estate professionals [...] agencies, notaries, property dealers [...] vis-à-vis which the members of the Federation undertake to work transparently and loyally, [...] to the institutions (or public authorities) with which it represents the interests of the profession [as well as to the] members or future members who find there a place for exchange, meetings and benefit from the visibility of the Federation”.It should be noted that real estate hunters do not have to join a federation. But it is a guarantee of quality and safety. In fact, each federation has its members sign a charter. The objective with the latter is in particular for hunters to offer the best possible service to their customers.
Follow your instincts
Often, the choice of a professional, regardless of the nature of his intervention, is based on “feeling” .Contact several hunters, meet them and ask them various questions. Then sort out which ones have gone the distance and which haven't. Follow your instincts, it's always best to work with someone who makes you feel comfortable and trusted.You can also ask for feedback from other customers.
Ask for the opinion of others
Do you know people who have already used real estate hunters? Ask them what they thought of their services and write down the names of those they were satisfied with.You can also use the web, and social networks in particular, to ask for the opinion of individuals who have used a professional to find a property for them.In addition, you can rely on various customer testimonials offered on hunter sites for example.The opinion of other people can be very useful in order to find a quality professional.
Avoid experts who call themselves real estate agents and real estate hunters at the same time
The professions of real estate agent and real estate hunter are governed by the same law and are completely complementary. But if the real estate agent works for the seller, the hunter works for him for the buyer. A property hunter who also calls himself a real estate agent then becomes a competitor for agencies that will no longer offer him “off-market” properties. This will therefore limit his field of research and therefore the quality of his services. However, it should be noted that there are exceptional cases such as a buying customer asking the hunter to also take care of the sale of his property.
Why choose HOME SELECT real estate hunter?
Finally, what if we listed all the good reasons for using Home Select?
Good reasons to call us
At Home Select, we place customer relationships at the heart of our actions in order to offer you a quality service. We make you sign a trust mandate based on commitments that are as clear as they are specific.Our fees are reasonable and our services are of high quality. In addition, the property visits that we carry out are in full accordance with your specifications and we offer you a detailed report for each house or apartment visited. Have you decided to call on us? Once the mandate is signed, we activate our network in order to increase the chances of finding the ideal property that meets both your criteria and your budget. We are responsive, an essential quality in this business. In addition, we use professional tools so that you can follow the detailed evolution of the search in real time.We are also efficient and we aim to find you a property in two months.Finally, we are members of the FNCI.Do you want to contact us or even meet us? We would love to get to know you and talk about your project. See you soon!
