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eal estate
How to Pick
a Real Estate
Agent
By Lisa All en
Q
uick: think of the most important financial decisions
you will make during your lifetime. Chances
are investing in real estate in the form of buying,
and then perhaps selling a home, rank close to the top of your
list. Problem is, real estate is a world unto itself; learning how
to navigate through the maze of questions, rules and regulations
is not a job to take lightly and probably one you want to
enlist help with.
The first step into the real estate world should be choosing
an agent. Like choosing any other professional, there are a
multitude of variables that factor into what makes an agent
right for you and your circumstance. Like any other profession,
agents specialize in different areas within their field. An
expert at residential real estate is not necessarily an expert in
commercial transactions, and a buyer’s agent might not be your
best bet if you are selling off property. Knowing what your own
goals are, then, is vital to making a determination about who is
best to work with.
In her book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Buying & Selling
a Home, author Shelley O’Hara says, “When you announce
your desire to purchase a house, you may be surprised at the
number of real estate people who want to represent you. Agents
come out of the woodwork. You won’t have to worry too much
about finding an agent—you do need to worry about finding a
good one.”
And therein lies the challenge—finding the right agent for
you. What might seem like a logical plan for a buyer, seeing
an enticing property advertised, and then calling the agent
listed, is actually a backwards way of approaching the process.
Finding an agent first who will represent you and your goals is
“You won’t have to worry
too much about finding an
agent—you do need to worry
about finding a good one.”
really the first step.
Here are a few general guidelines to help you choose an
agent that is right for you:
Listen to recommendations, but don’t automatically
choose because of them. Ask your dentist, your letter carrier
or your hairstylist and chances are they can all recommend a
realtor they know. Instead of just taking ‘he’s a great guy’ as a
recommendation, develop a list of questions that dig deeper.
38 HERLIFEmagazine.com