How to Choose a Real Estate Agent. 3 Questions You Should Ask Your Realtor.

Todays real estate market is threatened by a shaky economy, mortgage woes, and rampant foreclosures. Buyers and sellers have enough to worry about. So when it comes to choosing the right Realtor, what do you do? You do your homework! Interview a few agents and ask these 3 questions.

Question #1 - How Long?

An important thing to know is how long the agent has been involved in the real estate industry. Sure a new agent may be aggressive and do a good job, but experience counts for something. Especially in today's market, you want to have someone who has some years under their belt. The longer an agent is part of the market, the more they will know about it.

Question #2 - Are they familiar with the neighborhood?

It is no secret that anyone can obtain a real estate license by merely taking a few classes and passing a few tests. Realtor's are coming and going all of the time. You want to make sure you find one that is familiar with your neighborhood. Whether you are buying or selling, you will have a connection to a specific neighborhood and your Realtor should as well. The more the Realtor knows about a neighborhood, the more he or she can better represent you.

Question #3 - Do they have a designation?

A designation shows that that Realtor specializes in a certain area. In order to obtain a designation, an agent must obtain additional education. There are many designations. Two common ones are ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative) and SRS (Seller Representative Specialist). If you are buying a home, an agent with his or her ABR designation would most likely better serve you than an agent without the designation.