Picking a Realtor

Ask anyone that has gone down the “For Sale by Owner” road and you will understand what a Realtor brings to the table: screening prospects, current sale data, familiarity with the financial qualification process, the proper state approved contracts, available to show your property when you are at work, among a bountiful variety of other tasks and services.

Even as a buyer, and it is a buyer’s market, a Realtor has the experience to walk you through the labyrinth of gaining access to properties, having the necessary neighborhood, school and tax information available at a fingertip as well as experience with the exchange of bids, counter offers, and additional negotiations pertaining to the nuances of the particular property that transpire before coming to a meeting of the minds.

On the buying side, one of the most significant factors to consider is how familiar with the locale is the Realtor? We all know quite a few real estate agents; cousins, associates from the gym of golf course, or spouses of coworkers. But the neighborhood experience is priceless. Sure anyone can look at comps on the MLS and find out about square footage, number of rooms and the mill rate, but having personal knowledge of the neighborhood; traffic flows, vacancy rates and how the local economy is performing weighs invaluable in making a purchase decision.

In the event that you are selling real estate, then you should look cautiously at how the agent is going to list your home and any other type of advertizing they'll do. Will they hold open houses? What sort of internet presence do they have? How many contacts go through their office?

However, if you think you can do the promoting by yourself (and that is a big job, as mentioned before, ask anyone that has tried the FSBO route) then you can save some money by going with a flat rate listing service. A flat rate listing service will get your house listed in your local MLS for a one-time prearranged fee as opposed to having to pay an agent a percentage of the selling price.
Though there are many factors which will show you on how to pick a realtor, in the end you must make certain you choose a realtor that is working for you, not one who is simply in it to make the sale.