Ways To Find Your First Real Estate Agent
Are you about to purchase your first home? Before you start looking at houses and applying for mortgages, you need to find a real estate agent to represent you. This seemingly simple step can be tougher than you might initially think. So how do people go about finding their first real estate agent? Here are a few popular techniques.
Ask your friends and family members for recommendations.
Make sure everyone that you know is aware that you're about to start house hunting and are looking for a real estate agent. Chances are, someone in your network has bought or sold a home recently and can refer you to their real estate agent. Keep in mind, you do not have to hire someone just because your cousin or friend recommended them. Do, however, schedule a meetup or interview with each real estate agent someone refers you to. Compare the experiences, and then decide which real estate agent seems most capable of meeting your needs. It's important to hire someone you feel comfortable and confident around, so keep that in mind, too!
Stop by a local real estate office.
If nobody you know is able to recommend an agent you click with, then stop by a local real estate office. You might feel awkward doing this, but actually, the agents that work there will be happy to see you. You're a potential client, after all! The office will probably tell you a bit about their services, ask you a few questions about what you're looking for in a home, and recommend a few real estate agents who regularly sell homes in the neighborhood and price range that appeal to you. You can meet these agents and pick the one you like best.
Ask your landlord.
Another strategy — one that works well if you have been renting from a private landlord — is to ask your landlord if they can recommend a real estate agent. Presumably, they had an agent help them purchase the home you are currently living in, and if they are a landlord with multiple properties, they may use a real estate agent's services often. Your landlord knows you are responsible and that you pay your bills, so they're a good person to refer you.
Finding the right real estate agent to represent you may seem challenging at first, but when you find the right agent, you will know.