It's amazing to me just how many agents have no idea how this business operates. So many rely on the "training" suggested by the trade organizations and they head out to represent YOU armed with canned scripts, talking points and zero to minimal ability to collect, analyze and explain data. The average client is often unaware of how to properly qualify an agent, often falling for the stock nonsense, hiring a "name" or worst of all...hiring an agent simply because they feel obligated as a friend or relative. Qualifying agents is an entirely different topic, my question here is "Do you really understand what your agent tells you and do you believe it?". 

Being both a broker and certified appraiser offers distinct advantages to my clients. I have access to a significant amount of data and can utilize and explain it in a very clear manner. Given that I'm in the appraisal business I can also look at the data from an appraiser's point of view; eliminating the chronic gap between agents and appraisers. Knowledge and data are power and in this market but you MUST have it unfiltered, unbiased and easily understood. 

Here's a very brief example of what I can do for any property, anywhere by simply using what I have on my desk top. Suppose you're a buyer looking for a home in the Walton HS district in the East Cobb area of Marietta. Your target price is $500,000 and your question to me is a simple one:

What can you tell me about the market?

Well rather than the usual dopey agent response of "It's a great time to buy", in a few minutes I'll brief you with information that is pertinent to your question, current and I'll put it into a narrative that's easy to understand and follow. A smart client shopping for an agent to represent them for either buying or selling should demand excellence, nothing less. I'd encourage you to have a look at just a bit of what we do and what every agent should do by Thank God agents are leaving the business during this slow down, it helps both the industry and the public. There are many skilled, professional agents out there - many right here on Trulia....but I'd still like to see many leave, we need to raise the real estate bar

So, see how I answer that question - click here

Hank Miller, SRA, ABR
Associate Broker&Certified Appraiser
Prudential GA Realty<BR>678-428-8276