Shopping For a Realtor

Shopping for a real estate agent:

Your first step should be to shop for a Realtor, not to shop for property. Shop for a Realtor the way you would shop for a good attorney, accountant, doctor, financial advisor, or other professional.

Now that we have the Internet, you have more information at your fingertips than buyers did in the past. The web is a great place to start. There are lots of directories that list agents. And then there are the search engines, too. Peruse the sites. If an agent has lots of information on his site and seems genuinely concerned about informing homebuyers, and if he gives you good, solid information about himself, then that's probably a good choice.

The client should be the focus of any real estate transaction, not the agent. At the same time, agents have to market themselves -- or else you won't notice them. And realtors don't mind a bit if you email them, or call them, and ask questions. Find a good fit for what you're trying to accomplish, and then give that agent your loyalty. He'll work himself to death trying to please you!