Things You Should Ask Your Potential Buyer's Agent
When you interview REALTORS to find your buyer's agent
, you should have a list of questions to ask them to ascertain whether you and the agent will be a good fit. While you and your agent may not always see eye to eye, you need to be able to communicate with each other and work together.
Your agent should be a qualified REALTOR, which means that he or she is bound by the rules and ethical direction of the National Board of REALTORS. A full time agent is best, as they will be devoting their time to you and the real estate market in your area. A part-time agent will always be dividing their working hours between real estate and some other job, while a full-time REALTOR has their entire attention on the real estate market.
How well does this person know the area you are interested in purchasing in? Someone who has bought and sold in the area for several years is preferable to someone who doesn't have as much knowledge of the area. Home prices depend a lot on 'location, location, location!' and a REALTOR who knows your target location well will be able to tell you how much homes in this area generally go for.
Communication is a hugely important part of the client-agent relationship. How is your agent going to contact you and how do they prefer that you contact them? If you're permanently attached to your BlackBerry, you are probably going to prefer an agent who has similar connections to fast technology. If you prefer email over the phone, ensure that your agent doesn't mind doing the bulk of communication in cyberspace.
The experience of the agent that you are interviewing is an important thing to consider. An agent experienced in the area and in the price range of homes that you are buying in will probably be able to negotiate a better deal for you. Ask what continuing education the agent is engaging in; an agent who is regularly taking classes and keeping themselves informed about their area is someone who is interested in both their profession and their area.
Choosing a buyer's agent doesn't have to be a difficult process. Make sure that the person you choose is someone who you can relate to and feel free to ask questions of. Your ability to communicate comfortably should be high on your list of priorities.