How to Find a Real Estate Agent You’ll Love

We see you browsing through Parade of Homes Magazine: you’re ready to buy a home. Whether this is your first home, or you’ve been around the housing block a time or two, there is one logical place to start in your search. You need to find the best real estate agent for you. According to a National Association of Realtors report, nearly 90% of buyers recently purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker. There is a good reason for that. Local agents will guide you to the best home for your needs, and will represent you through what can be a pretty complicated process. A knowledgeable real estate agent will make the whole home search and purchase painless. So, how do you find that perfect real estate agent? Here are four tips to help you find a real estate agent you’ll love doing business with.

1. Ask for referrals from friends and family.

Chances are pretty good you know someone who has hired a local real estate agent fairly recently. Do they recommend the agent they hired? Why or why not?

2. Do a little sleuthing.

Do you see a particular real estate agent’s name popping up on signs in your current neighborhood, or in the neighborhood in which you’d like to live? Do you like what you see or hear from a real estate agent in advertising? Google them! See if they have reviews from past clients. How many social media followers does their professional page have? Read up on their experience on their website.

3. Look for specialties.

Are you interested in a home on the lake? A vacation rental investment? Land? Something at the Landing, or perhaps in the Eureka Springs area? Search out real estate agents who have a certification or specialty in the particular type of real estate you’re interested in.

4. Interview your top candidates.

Hands down, the best way to finally select the agent who will be the best fit for you is to sit down and have a conversation. An honest conversation, during which you share your concerns as well as your expectations. Does the agent actively listen? Is he or she truly interested in the parameters you’ve set for your next home, or do they have their own agenda? How well do they know the area? How many connections do they have locally? You’ll be spending quite a bit of time with your real estate agent over the coming weeks, so make sure you not only like the agent, but that your goals for your real estate transaction are the same. Remember: a trusted real estate professional should be right there with you during your entire home-buying (or selling!) experience, lightening the load in what can be a confusing process. If at any time you feel as though you and your agent are not on the same page, have a frank discussion about your concerns.