Skillful and engaging but most importantly, straight up and honest.
I have dealt with many, many agents because my profession requires me to. Unfortunately, the majority have earned my contempt.
Four years ago, Dave Lane sold me and my wife a property. As prospective purchasers we were impressed with his frankness and the lack of a hard sell. He listened to what we wanted as buyers. He told us the truth and he did exactly what agents are supposed to do .... he brought about a sale by introducing willing purchasers who had their reasons to buy with keen vendors, who had their reasons to sell.
Four years on, the property had served its purpose. There were no regrets but it was time to move on. We contacted Dave Lane. He did not do what most agents do and promise us a huge sum. He simply listened, gave some advice and followed up to see if we accepted it. We did. We also accepted his recommendation about how best to go about the sales process. The place sold within a week, for an amount pretty close to our upper estimate of what it should sell for. There was no stress, no hype and no hassle. The place is tenanted and Dave kept the tenants informed, on side and helpful.
Dave secured the sale of our property by being up front with prospective purchasers. He gave excellent advice on the negotiation process and we followed it. He did not play games. When an offer was made and accepted, the purchaser knew what to expect from pre-purchase enquiries, so there were no surprises and no disappointments. We have no doubt that in the years to come, our purchaser will say the same.
If we decide to look at property again in the Newcastle area, Dave Lane will be our first point of contact. Real estate agents you can trust to introduce buyers to sellers decently, honestly and effectively are rare. Dave Lane deserves to succeed. He is a rare gem.