Finding Agents to Consider:

Referrals: Your friends, neighbors, employer, Realtor back home, even a group you belong to may refer you to a local Realtor. Do contact those Realtors, but apply the selection guidelines below before committing.

Advertisements: Check the local real estate magazines, the Internet, and other sources for advertisements on real estate. In the ads you should note agents that have listings that match your needs by type, price, neighborhood, etc. The ad may also give some of the agent's credentials.

Open Houses: Stop at homes in neighborhoods you like, and in addition to looking at the house, check out the Realtor. Is he or she knowledgeable about the area? Helpful in sharing information with you? Easy to communicate with? Did he or she add value to your visit?

Selecting an Agent:

You want an agent who is experienced, and who is full time. Once you find a home, you will be depending on this agent to negotiate for you, and to lead you through the entire process of inspections, financing, etc.

You want an agent who is comfortable and knowledgeable in your price range, your type of home, your geographic area (or the entire range), one who can tell you about the area and the trends as well as give you access to homes, one who has dealt with For Sale By Owners and developers as well as other realtors.

You want an agent with special training in buyer representation.  An agent with the ABR designation from the National Association of Realtors is an Accredited Buyer Representative. To earn this designation he has completed required course work and demonstrated experience as a buyer's agent.

You want an agent who offers the type of representation you have chosen (see Buyer Agency and Representation).

You want an agent who has time to work with you, and is willing to work with your specific circumstances (I need to find a home in a weekend; I don't want to buy for another year or two; I will buy when I find what I'm looking for, but am in no hurry; I'll only buy when I find a perfect house at a steal). You want an agent you can communicate with, and who will listen to you.

Check the questionnaire for sample questions.

Should I work with one agent or several?

If you have done a good job of selecting an agent, there is no reason to work with more than one (exception follows). The inventory of available homes is the same for every agent, and if they listen to you, they will plan on showing you the same homes. Why explain what you are looking for over and over? A good agent will sense what you want after one or two times out with you. The agent will also be more aggressive in looking for homes for you if he or she knows that they are your only agent.

Ask the agent what geographic areas he or she is comfortable working in - if you want to look in a broader area than that, then work with another agent in that area(s). Let the agent know that you are or want to be working with someone in the other area(s) - he or she may be able to refer you to an agent there if you have not already found one.

If you decide after working with your selected agent that you do not want to work with him or her further, thank them for their help and say that you do not want to continue looking at this time. If the agent no longer wants to work with you, he or she should let you know. Fairness should extend in both directions.