Choosing a Real Estate Agent

How to Find the Right Agent for You

Buying a home can be a challenging journey – especially if it's your first time on the market. For this reason, many people choose to enlist the services of a qualified real estate agent to help navigate these waters. Because you'll come to rely on this person to help you through many complicated issues, it's important to spend some time finding the agent that best meets your needs. Don't just choose the first person whose advertisement you see or, worse, the person whose picture is on the "For Sale" sign of the house you've fallen in love with.

Enlist Your Own Agent

If this is your first time buying a home, you might be wondering, "Why shouldn't I just call up the agent that's pictured on the For Sale sign? Wouldn't that be easier for everyone involved?" What most people don't realize is that there are typically two agents involved in a real estate transaction – one representing the buyer and one representing the seller. The agent listed on the For Sale sign is representing the seller, and he or she is contractually obligated to look out for the seller's best interests.

What this means is that if you approach this person to represent you as well and you tell the agent how much you can afford to spend on your new home, the agent is required to report that back to the seller. Obviously, you want someone who's going to look out for you in that way. You need a buyer's agent – but how do you go about choosing one?

Look for Someone with Experience

Now, this isn't to say that there aren't plenty of young, up-and-coming agents out there, but if you're a first-time homebuyer, you really need to find someone with experience – not just as a real estate agent, but also with the market where you'll be buying. An experienced agent will know more about the different homebuyer incentive programs available today, as well as how the neighborhoods in your target city have changed over time. Experienced agents have also been through more transactions than their newer colleagues, so they'll be better prepared to help you through any unusual situations you may experience. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Choosing a Real Estate Agent“