Every First Time Homebuyer should have two experts to help them get their first home:  a professional mortgage broker (and a mortgage pre-approval) and a great Realtor.  Assembling a great team is the first step to purchasing a home.   

This would all be much more difficult without the help of a Realtor, who matches interested homebuyers with available homes and closes the deal for sellers. The real estate market is full of wonderful realtors who are committed to helping you find the right home, but before you pick just any person, you should consider these 10 tips for choosing the right realtor to find a home:

1. Find Someone You Connect With: You’re going to be working closely with your realtor, so it’s important to find someone you connect with. This person should be a good listener and considerate of your needs.  You should feel comfortable saying no to a house you don’t like, and he or she should respect your decision. A good realtor will look out for your best interests as a buyer and help you find the right home.
2. Find Someone Who Has Time For You: Your realtor should be committed from the get-go and steadfast during the house hunting process. He or she should give you their complete attention when looking for homes and treat you with the same respect they give to other clients, regardless of your price range.
3. Find Someone Who is Honest and Trustworthy: Realtors get paid when the sale is finalized; therefore their incentive is to get you in the home as soon as possible. This kind of pressure to sell can cause some realtors to engage in unethical business practices or only tell the buyer so much so they don’t lose the sale. It’s so important to find a realtor who is honest and trustworthy, so that you aren’t getting ripped off or buying a home that is not right for you.
4. Use Someone Your Know: If you happen to know a realtor and are ok with mixing friends with business, don’t hesitate to use him or her. Using a realtor that you know is the best way to bypass the getting-to-know-you stage and get down to business. You won’t have to worry about their level of honesty and trustworthiness if you know the realtor, and you can rest assured that they won’t let you down.
5. Ask Around: Another good tip for choosing the right realtor is to ask around to see if any of your mortgage broker, friends, family members, neighbors or coworkers know of a good realtor. Working with a realtor who was recommended will give you peace of mind because you know they do good business.
6. Search the Internet: If you’re starting from the ground up, a good place to begin your realtor search is the Internet. Look up some of the top real estate companies in your area and check out their individual web sites. Most real estate company sites will include agent profiles that detail their experience and the areas they specialize in. Be sure to look for customer reviews and note any negative comments for your reference.
7. Go to Open Houses: One way to find a realtor and see them in action is to visit open houses. Even though you may not be interested in buying this home, the experience will give you a good look at the realtor’s personality, business approach and how well he or she sold you on the house. This is the most effective way to do your homework on a realtor and make sure he or she is the right one for you.
8. Follow Your Neighborhood Signs: Whether it’s a “for sale” or “sold” sign you’re looking for, these neighborhood real estate signs are a good sign of a successful realtor. Following these signs is a good way to scout out a realtor and watch how quickly they close the deal. It’s a good idea to jot down these realtors’ names and numbers so that you can look      them up and call the ones you’re interested in.
9. Ask Other Agents for Recommendations: During your search for a realtor, you may find one that you like, but they are too busy or work outside of your area. If this happens, ask him or her if they can recommend another realtor for you. Realtor referrals are excellent to have and give you peace of mind that you’re in good hands.
10. Interview Your Prospects: Before you choose a realtor, you should interview your prospects to make sure you’re picking the right one. Prepare a list of questions to ask during your informal interview and take notes of their answers. When it’s over, consider each realtor’s answers and pick one person that you connected with and you feel will do the best job.