Choosing a Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent can often be one of the most vital links in your real estate transaction. A good agent serves to promote your interest, market your property, organize your closing, keep the transcation on tract.  A good buyer's agent will save you valuable time and seek matches to your needs. A good agent will listen to you, anticipate the need before the problem arises and often hold your hand through out the entire process.

In order to find an agent who not only meets your needs but makes your buying or selling experience a positive one, I have a few suggestions;



Ask friends and family for recommendations.

I would never recommend just walking into a neighborhood firm and randomly asking the first agent you see to list your house. There are hundreds of licensed agents in our area. The changes of finding an agent with the qualification you seek are slim. This isn't a game of darts.  Do your research!!

Interview several real estate agents:

• Find out their history with the brokerage, their experience and background. Don't fall for canned speeches or "dog and pony" shows. I know a fellow Realtor who loves to tell people that she can "sell your house in two weeks." Really? Do you have a crystal ball? (Asking the agent to produce the crystal ball is not a bad idea.)
• Gauge their knowledge of your area or the area you are interested in. If you live in Canton, you might not want an agent who lives in Hattiesburg, and vice-versa.
• Ask for a list of previous clients and their phone numbers.

Is this person actually listening to you?
Is she asking follow-up questions which prompt further explanation and help  her understand exactly your needs and wants? For example, if you don't want a house with a pool because of a fear of water, does she then suggest a  lake front villa? Hello? Somebody isn't listening.....

Allow a potential agent the opportunity to educate you.
A good agent should walk a customer through the buying or selling process before ever showing properties or discussing a specific transaction.

Know what you expect from your agent and try to communicate this in advance.

• How often do you want to hear from your agent?
• Do you want to hold meetings at your house rather than the real estate office?
• If you are an early bird and  like to start your day at 7:00 a.m., don't choose an agent who sleeps in until 11:00 a.m.
• If your preferred method of communication is e-mail, don't choose an agent whose most advanced technology is a fax machine.

Check out the agent's firm and/or office.
Sure, you want to work with an agent who hails from a professional office, but also look for a real estate organization whose agents ooze real estate expertise and resources and provide first-rate customer service.

Look for an agent who will be your partner.
Choose an agent that you can also be friends with. Find someone you trust, who will give you the facts, help you make intelligent, well-informed decisions and work with you throughout the entire process. The chances are pretty high that you will run into this person at the grocery store down the road. That's probably a good thing for the agent to remember too.