One of the best ways to find an Agent is the same way you find the best doctors, dry cleaners and hair stylists – word of mouth. The best referrals come from people who have actually used that agent’s services recently. Unfortunately you will also get plenty of referrals from people dying to hand you the business card of their son, daughter, father-in-law, or laid-off best buddy.
The main point to keep in mind is to think of the process of finding an Agent the equivalent of interviewing and employee::: ask questions…
- How long has the agent been in the field?
- How many clients did he/she help last year?
- Does he/she represent both buyers and sellers?
- What’s his/her fee?
- What time-frame can you expect working with him/her on the home buying/selling process from beginning to end?
There’s practically an army of real estate agents out there these days. The National Association of Realtors, the main trade group representing agents and brokers, now has more than a million members nationwide. Members of NAR are called Realtors. The association sponsors continuing education programs and holds members to a code of ethics. There’s really no reason you’d want to use a licensed real estate who is not a Realtor.
