Choosing an Agent

You don’t need to choose an agent right away, but the sooner you find an agent, the sooner you have an ally in your home search who can answer specific questions about the process and the market, recommend properties and neighborhoods to you that you might not have considered, and educate you on what to look for and what to ask when you tour homes.

We’ve already broken down what your agent does:

• Educate you on the marketplace.
• Help you determine your budget, needs, motivations, and set limitations.
• Research properties and neighborhoods that suit your needs.
• Handle the negotiation process, including negotiating amenities people who aren’t seasoned real estate experts wouldn’t consider.
• Coordinate inspections and appraisals.
• Act as a “real estate therapist” when you’re overwhelmed or stressed out about the process.
• Follow-up after your sale to provide assistance, tips, or recommendations about repairs, selling in the future, refinancing, and any other advice you need.

And the important things to consider when choosing an agent:

• Experience
• Location
• Track record
• Personality

Are referrals enough?

Referrals are the single most common way people choose agents. In 2015, 41 percent of buyers found their agent through a referral. Seven in 10 buyers also went with the first agent they met.

Many buyers also simply choose an agent after they’ve found a property they want online, and go with the agent who is representing it. This can result in dual agencies (when the agent represents both the buyer and the seller).

Referrals, while tempting to take at their word, still require their homework. An agent can be right for someone else and their situation, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re right for you.In addition, many people simply recommend real estate agent friends whom they’ve never actually worked with.

The easiest way to research your agent is to search their name on the internet. Things to look for:

• License Status
• Violations and Complaints
• Additional Certifications and Designations
• Awards

License Status
Just because an agent passed their licensing test once, doesn’t mean they’re still licensed. Most states require its agents to renew their license every four years. Be sure to check that their license is still valid.

Search licensed California agents >>

Violations
Check your state’s real estate regulatory body to make sure there aren’t any serious complaints or violations against your agent.

Additional Certifications and Designations
Check if they have additional certifications. To call themselves a Realtor®, they must be a member of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR)—they have to pass an additional code of ethics training. There are many other useful certifications that mean they’ve trained above and beyond other agents. Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS), and more. Search what each of their certifications mean and how they can benefit what you’re looking for.

Awards
Take special note of awards your agent has received. Many awards are given for closing a certain number of transactions, meeting a certain level of customer satisfaction, or chosen by fellow agents.

At the end of the day, you’ll have to meet agents and find the one whose personality best suits you. You’ll be interacting with this person on a regular basis and they’ll be guiding you through a potentially stressful experience, so you need to decide if you’re looking for someone who’s empathetic and quick to calm your nerves or someone blunt and pragmatic who’ll tell it like it is.