Choosing a real estate agent is one of the most important things that you’ll do in the process of finding and buying a home or selling a home. Your real estate agent is a true ally throughout the process. You want to be sure that the agent you choose is someone that you trust and feel comfortable with. If you don’t know anyone who is an agent, there’s a few things that you can do in order to find an agent who is right for you.

Ask People Who They Prefer

You can talk with friends and family and let them know that you are in the market to buy a house. See if they have any recommendations for a realtor. You can also do a bit of research on prospective realtors. You can ask for a list of what gents have helped to purchase and sold in the past year. You can also contact clients directly if you’re able to get contact information. Find out if they were pleased with their realtor in the process. If you’re selling a home, you’ll have different needs than if you’re buying. You, of course, want to most money in the sale of your home. Yet, when you’re buying, you just want a great price and a dependable property.

For Sellers:

How long were the homes on the market?
How were the homes marketed?
Compare the price that home sold for with other properties in the neighborhood
What’s the strategy for selling my house?

For Buyers:

Compare the price of homes bought to that of other homes in the neighborhood
How long did it take clients to buy a home?
How long have you been an agent?

Look Up Your Agent’s License

Every state gives you the opportunity to look up real estate agents and see what types of licensing they have and if there has been any disciplinary action taken against them. You can probably find this information right online.

Find Out What Your Agent Specializes In

Some agents specialize in helping military families find homes. Some agents have taken classes in residential real estate. Other agents have accreditations in being buyer’s representatives. A good rule of thumb when looking for an agent is: if they have a lot of letters after their title, they have a lot of special qualifications!

Here’s what some of the abbreviations mean:

ABR

Accredited buyer’s representative

SRES

Seniors real estate specialist

NAR

National Association Of Realtors

ABR

Accredited buyer’s rep

CFR

Certified foreclosure resource

ASR

Accredited seller representative

Look At The Agent’s Current Listings

Just take a peek at your prospective agent’s listings online. This can give you an idea of the type of market that they may typically appeal to. You can also check the listing prices and see how long different properties have been on the market. If you’re buying a home, your realtor is able to represent you no matter who the listing agent is for a property, so keep that in mind.

Doing a bit of ground work before choosing a real estate agent can really be helpful in finding the right person to guide you through the process of buying or selling a property.

Tag: Real Estate Marketing