In the grand homebuying scheme, there are two people who are going to make or break your experience: the lender and the real estate agent. Everyone has an opinion on which is more important, negotiating the best deal on the purchase price or finding the best financing, but no one will tell you that both aren’t important. So you want to be sure both of these people have your best interests at heart and have the ability to get the job done for you. On Tuesday, I discussed what to look for in a lender. Today, I’d like to talk about what to look for in a Realtor.

First and foremost, you need to trust the person you work with. You need to be able to talk about what you’re looking for in a house, in a neighborhood, and in a location, and trust that the person showing you homes will show you exactly what you want. If you feel that the person is going to push you into a home to get a larger commission or because that is his or her niche area, then that should be a red flag to keep interviewing.

You also want to find out what, if any, niche markets the Realtor works in. Is their business mostly condos and townhouses? Multifamilies? Single family residences? Do they cover a very specific location but know it thoroughly, or are they generally in multiple counties? Understanding this will help you find the right real estate agent. If you don’t know what you want, working with someone who is more general would be beneficial; they can show you everything out there. But if you know you want a townhouse in Farmington Hills at a specific price point, then finding someone who works that niche is helpful.

Finally, you want to see what experience the individual has. You may find the perfect Realtor who focuses on Single Family Properties only in Northville in the over $500,000range, but if the person has only been doing it for six months, then that may not be a big benefit even if that is what you want. Ask how long the person has been doing this, how long they’ve been with that agency, and if they do anything else. You probably don’t want a new Realtor, one who is new to a company, or one who has another job and only does this part time.

If you are really stuck when trying to find a real estate agent, ask your lender. Most lenders who have been in the industry a few years know which real estate agents are going to get you the house you need given your parameters and which are going to aggressively negotiate for you. Just as the best Realtors generally know the best lenders, the best lenders generally know the best Realtors. I know I have worked with literally hundreds of real estate agents over my career, but only a select few get my recommendation. And most mortgage officers would say the same.

If you have any questions about finding a Realtor or about getting preapproved for a house, please contact me. If you have anything to add about finding a Realtor and the questions to ask, please leave a comment.