Choosing the right Real Estate Agent to help you find your dream home is among the most important decisions you can make. While you have already tackled the first hurdle which was to decide that you want to buy a home, it should be noted that all real estate agents are not created equal, and there will be a substantial difference in your experience depending on how well suited your agent is to filling your needs.

So how do you discover the ideal agent, among the dozens, or perhaps hundreds, that may work in your area? Here are some helpful methods for discovering an agent who will best suit your buying requirements:

Sincerity – hire an agent who will give you the honest truth about the value of a home, right from the start. You need to make certain that you can trust your realtor to evaluate a home for its true worth, and to tell you this information, instead of making false promises. You need to know that your agent is working to find you the right home at the right price, not just anything that you will buy. This will give the highest opportunities for negotiations, and the best selling price with the most favorable terms and, of course, the best home for your wants and needs.

Negotiations Specialist – one of the most vital parts of the sale itself is the negotiations when it comes down to the very nitty-gritty. This is where money is saved or lost, so you need to have a capable, experienced, and successful negotiator on your side.
Busy Agents – you need to select an agent who is busy. This may seem a bit strange, as you may wonder if a busy agent will have time for you; but the fact is that busy agents are the ones who get things done. They’re the ones who have repeat, loyal clients, who know that they will achieve the best results with this particular agent. Think about it: if you were on vacation, and saw two restaurants next to each other, serving the same kind of food, would you pick the busy one, or the one with only one or two patrons?

Agents with a team – similar to the above point about busy agents, is that about agents who have a team to support them. Agents who are busy enough will need to hire a team to cover the details while they’re out working on the essentials. They’re simply too busy to work alone. By hiring a team, you have the advantage of many specialized people, all for the price of one agent.

Surprise-free strategy – the best kind of real estate agent is the one who goes out of his or her way to make sure that you are kept up to date on everything that is happening with your search for the perfect home. You should be able to receive an update at least every week, including the latest homes to go up for sale in your area of interest, and the results of sales in the area of similar homes to that you’re interested in.. You should also be told what is being done to seek out other opportunities for the home you want.

Reputation and Experience – No matter how many promises a real estate agent may make, the only real way to measure the performance a real estate agent may make is by way of the agent’s history and past successes (and, perhaps, failures). Therefore, when you are choosing an agent, be sure to ask the following questions: How many years have you been in the real estate business? What is your total annual sales volume? What is your ranking in the local Real Estate Board? How many clients do you have as your base? How many (percentagewise) do you sell?

What is the percentage of the selling price versus the asking price?