Aristotle: I am very familiar and in touch with the internet. That is how I answered your question. I am also familiar with Redfin. They cannot operate in Louisiana. That's all I was saying..that commission cannot be given to the buyer. It belongs to the listing broker and we can only coop with another licensed Realtor. Its not my law, it is La. law..you need to buy in a state that allows it..

Darryl -- you seem to have somehow missed the entire internet era. Buyers getting commission is happening mostly everywhere now (see Redfin and Zip Realty), so only states with antiquated and absurd laws protecting realtors (like Louisiana) don't allow this now. I hope states like yours get with a program and stop caving in to lobbying by the real estate industry and start to better protect the interest of consumers.

Aristotle: I do not know about other places but here in Louisiana it is illegal to kick back commission to a buyer...

Real Estate is a service business. You should expect your agent to provide references that are verifieable and list of successful sales in the area and or type of property that you are looking for.
You can also go to the National Association of Realtors Website or Realtor.org to find a realtor and check their continued education level. Do they have any specialty areas of business or designations that bring you more confidence or are in line with your particular requirements.
As with any profession, a good agent will be a member of national, state and local real estate associations to whom they have to answer. You can also check with the Department of Real Estate to review your agents record.
You might also create a list of expectations that you have and interview several Realtors that you find from a variety of resources. Get a referral from a friend, colleague or neighbor, look on-line and use one of the real estate association directories and then interview each realtor asking pertinent questions.
You will find the agent that is right for you in this way.
In short, check references, conduct an interview and go with what feels right. Remember this is your purchasing experience and it should be enjoyable.
You want a qualified, experienced, willing and friendly buyers agent to make the process less stressful and celebrate your success in finding a new home. And finding one who works hard and smart is a good idea too.

The best way to pick a buyer's agent is to find someone who will give you a substantial percent of their commission. The home buyer is the most precious commodity in the real estate business. You buying a home is going to put 3% of the commission in the buyers agent's pocket. Even if your buyer's agent is genuinely worth $100/hr (ahem), there's very little way to justify them keeping the full 3% (especially on higher priced homes). So find someone who's competent certainly in other areas, but make sure you discuss a cut of their commission.

One place to start is looking for an agent who has an ABR or accredited buyer's rep. They have to complete criteria, class hours, and pass testing.You need to find someone who cares about your wants and needs, because if they do, they will work with you until you find the perfect home for you. Let me know, if I can help.

The agent you work with should provide you all the free info you need. If they provide you with quick responses, and are helpful, the liklihood is you will want to work with them. Of course, you should also see what type of volume they are doing...how many homes have they sold? An active agent is more likely to be the one to work with than someone who only does a deal or two a year.

You can always sign a buyer's agency agreement for a short period of time. Of course the agent will want the longest possible period. (this can not exceed a year). But explain to an agent the reason, 30 days should be acceptable, but even a weekend or two weeks is not out of the question. Have the agent explain buyer's agency to you and don't be afraid to take the paperwork and go over on your own before you sign.

Definitely all answers are good, how ever you really need to find a balance between few qualities of a good agent, first of all meet few agents and go thru a process of elimination first by if you like the way the agent answer the phone, the way He or she talks, is too sell push? Is fake talk? Does sound genuine? Is too slow or too fast? be aware if sounds too good to be true probably is not, try to find one with in 5 to 15 years of experience, full time realtor, designations are not that important, personality experience and knowledge of the area is the Key, ask for references of past clients. Now is a great time to buy so do your home work and ....Good lucky!

Every Buyers Agent will tell you how great they are at delivering results, how many of them offer a money back guarantee? How many will offer you the ability to terminate their service if you are unhappy. How many provide you with a list of all current homes on the market that meet your criteria but also provide with the appreciation history of the property and surrounding area? The answer is not many, but Cindy Rowe & Associates have a team of Buyers Agents that do provide all of the above. Look for a team with a history of doing what they say they will do, sometimes more, but never less. Look for a team that has superior negotiating skills, with a written guarantee of a specific dollar amount savings. All of this and more is what you should expect from your Buyers Agents.

Ask you Realtor if they are a Buyers Agents and have earned the Accredited Buyers Representation Designation (ABR). And, make sure there full time realtors.

When I coach, I ask Realtors the same question. They stare at me as if I have a coffee cup growing from my forehead.

Who cuts your hair? ...How did you find him/her?
Who is your Dentist? .......How did you find him/her?
Doctor? ...How did you find him/her?
Attorney? ...How did you find him/her?

See a pattern...?


Why should a REALTOR be any different. Ask your friends who have purchased properties. I am sure you will find a GREAT REALTOR. In fact, I know you will.

Gary De Pury
Broker-Owner
Bay Vista Realty & Investments, Inc.
Chairman, Communications Committee
Director, Florida Association of Realtors

You need to interview and ask question to how long have they been in the Business ? Are you full time ?
Do they have A CRS designation or Associate Broker License. This will give a decree of competence that will bring with it Risk Managenet for your Transaction to help you not only to find the right property but also strong negotiation skills and an ease to get things completed for a stress free Purchasing experience.

Hi Roti:

I hear what you're saying. Today's technology, which offers the real estate consumer so many wonnderful choices - can also be very daunting at times. You may want to consider interviewing 3 -4 agents at their real estate office or a public location that you've met on-line or in the field to guage how you feel they truly understand your needs and your real estate goals. I am an advocate of meeting any potential homebuyers first to discuss their needs, review what they can expect during the homebuying process, to get an understating what what is truly important to them (a Buyer can tell me on-line that they want a 4 bed 2.5 bath single family home in xyz area, but there are so many other attributes that must be understood), what they can expect of me as their Buyer's agent if they where to choose me to represent them, and what I also expect of them regarding getting a mortgage pre-approval from a bona-fide lender, etc. I feel it is important to all be on the same page. The process works so much better if we all have a good understanding of what to expect from each other.

You also should always be provided with a Pennsylvania Real Estate Consumer Notice (which is not a contract) the first time you have any substantive discussion about real estate with a licensed real estate agent.

Roti, I would add that too many people pick agents on superficial reasons (e..g, initial impressions, longevity, market share, etc.). While these things have value in evaluating an agent, but grossly misleading when there's not a clear tie-in to what specifically they can and will do for you. I'd caution you--and every other buyer/seller out there--to be leery of the agent that's all of the sudden your "best buddy". What you want is someone who's available/accessible to you; has a defined plan for getting you from point A to point B w/in a specific timeframe; has with a balanced view of the market; and is a very good communicator/listener. Gerry

You can find agents at Open Houses, visit a few, and get a sense of their personality and demeanor. Are they aggressive? too aggressive? are they meek and mild, professional, do they seem knowledgeable? Does their personality mesh with yours (ie: do you like them). It's fairly important that you 'mesh' since you'll be spending a lot of time together.

When you have 2 or 3 that you like, ask them to begin sending e-mailed listings to you, and go over what type of home you're looking for. Tell them all that you're in the interviewing process, and will narrow it down over the next 3-6 weeks. See who responds well... do they send you regular e-mails, do they communicate well with you, do you like the properties they're sending you... did they understand what you were looking for? Is there additional communication beyond the e-mailed listings, an occasional call, or e-mail? Eventually you'll be able to narrow it down.

Once you click with an agent, don't drag the other two around any longer than necessary... it's unfair to all of you. Be honest & upfront, but it's okay to do a little "shopping around" till you find the agent who works best for you.

Cheryl is correct. You will meet several agents in the process if you call off signs and so forth or respond to various different types of ads. You will click with one of the people and you can tell who is professional most of the time versus the ones that are not. I would go one step further. Ask around to your friends and family in the area for a good referral. Or if you are not from the area and have a good agent where you are ask that agent to refer you to somoene in a different area if that agent has a contact person. I receive many referrals from other agents outside of Philadelphia (my specialty) and have a large referral network for areas outside my expertise. Also you can find out from just driving around the neighborhood that you like what office has the majority of listings and go to that office to request a buyers agent or contact the broker. You can also use http://www.remax.com to find a good local agent for wherever you are searching. You can view profiles photos and websites of all the RE/MAX agents. Good luck !

Mustafa, you should interview several agents and see which one you click with. You want an agent who is available to take your hand and walk you through the home buying process. That may be a new agent or a seasoned agent. But the most important factor is that you feel comfortable and be able to trust that agent to watch out for your best interests. Good luck.