I think that I may have been misunderstood in my answer. Originally I said that you want your agent to be available and I got some slack for that because other agents assumed that if an agent is available, they must not have other clients they are working with. This is simply not true. To me, this means that the agent is able to multi-task with many "balls up in the air" at one time. This doesn't mean that you receive less attention, it simply means that should you be panicing about something (as many first time home buyers find themselves doing), your agent will either answer your call or call you back that same day to put your mind at ease.

You also of course want your agent to be knowledgable about the area you are looking in, have experience working with buyers etc. To me those are things that are pretty basic and generic.

In today's market, standing out as an agent is important. If I can be all of the things that every other agent is AND If I can be more available than MOST other agents, my clients will continue to come back to me and send their friends as they have been for quite some time.

Firsttimer,

The online resources advocated below are an excellent starting point with respect to questions you might consider asking. When all is said and done I think you want to make a clear-minded business decision - who is best suited to assist you to conduct your search, find the home, negotiate its purchase, make appropriate referrals regarding mortgage, attorney, inspector, etc. and guide you through the labyrinth of the home purchase in an effortless and professional manner.

On Friday I received a phone call from El Salvador. Josh and his fiancee are traveling in Central America and relocating to Chicago later this summer. They learned about me through Trulia and then went to my blog and came to know me a bit more intimately. He was asking the same question you are and I told him that whether or not he selected me my greatest urging to him was to be sure to select a full-time real estate professional who is conversant with the area and type of housing he wants and has experience.

Given the typical purchase price in Chicago it is absolutely critical that you select an experienced individual who knows what he is doing (and whose next meal is not predicated on your transaction). But with experience and expertise comes the fact that the realtor you chose simultaneously will be working with other clients. I mention this because another person in this thread said you should select a realtor who will be available at a moment's notice. If you use this guideline you will ensure your a realtor who has lots of time but not so many clients (and very possibly not the type of experience that bodes well for assisting you as a first time buyer).

By the way, by the end of our conversation the travelers in El Salvador chose to work with me as their buyers' agent. I wish you the best in making your decision.

Tom McCarey
The Real Estate Lounge Chicago with @properties

The NAEBA web site link that was referenced is a good spot - as is the following link on our site:
http://www.relocationadvisorsgroup.com/hire.htm

You'll want to ask about the agent's performance stats.
You'll want to ensure that they have many years of professional negotiation expertise and training.
Make sure they are full time - not part time.
Take a good 1-2 hours to really get to know the agents you are thinking about - and their communication style. Talk to their past clients (don't just get written references...anyone can supply those..) Most of all - you'll want to like them - and how they deal with you... You want someone who is unbiased, honest, and ethical - acting as your coach and advocate - not as a "salesperson" - trying to sell you on something.
Since you are a first time buyer - ask them what percentage of their clients are first time homebuyers - and have them put you in touch with some of those past clients.

As I've mentioned before, there are lots of good questions that you should ask a potential buyer's agent.

• How many homes, of my type, have you helped purchase? (recently, 6 mos, 1 year, 5 years)
• What is your list / sale ratio? (this will tell you if they're an effective negotiator)
• How will you communicate with me?
• How often will you communicate with me?
• Will you send me listings via e-mail?
• Will you help me, if I (or you) should find a FSBO?
• Do you require me signing an Exclusive Buyer's Agreement? Why/Why Not?
• Why should I hire you? What do you bring to the table that's different than the myriad of other agents out there.
• Are you a full-time agent?
• Do you practice dual-agency? (why / why not?)
• Are you planning any upcoming vacations or are you going to be unavaible, and who is your back-up when you're gone?

and lastly

• Is there anything I haven't asked you, that you think I should have?

There, that should get a good interview going

I like the questions that NAEBA has (see other post below). You want to be be sure that they are not part-timers but fully engaged in real estate (there are a lot of part-time agents). At the same time, some agents are too busy and use a team approach. In that case, you may rarely see them but rather their assistants. I have actually represented buyers in a transaction where we never met the agent at all which is strange.

Hello- Just make sure they are experts in the area you are looking and available to answer your questions and handle all showing requests.

Best of luck

Since you are a first time homebuyer, please ask the agents you interview how they would tailor their search process to you. Second, ask for references and then call those references! My last suggestion is that you ask when the agent will show you property - anyday, once per week, during business hours only, etc. I think this should help you get the conversation started. Good luck to you!

Firsttimer,

Check out the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents website in the web reference to this question. They have a great list of questions to ask a buyers agent. The specific reference for the questions is listed below:

http://www.naeba.com/buying/questions.htm

Good luck,

Jeffrey

Congratulations on your decision to step into home-ownership. The opportunities in this market are endless, as long as you do your homework and have good advice along the way.
You have made a good 1st step by using sites like Trulia to research.
As far as what to ask a Realtor that you are considering working with as your Buyer's agent - here are a few:
What is their experience level- and knowledge of your particular area. What services will they provide to you? Will they provide you references or testimonials from recent clients that you can verify? How will they relay information to you and how often will they communicate with you - make sure they fit your expectations.

You will want to make sure the agent you work with has a personality that blends with yours. You have to be comfortable with them. This will most likely become apparent as you talk.

I'm sure you will get many great answers from the other Real Estate Pros here on Trulia.
All the Best to you!