You should interview several agents. An agent who represents only buyers might be the right fit for you. There are also many independent Realtors. Sorting through who is best fit involves a little more time. I cannot stress enough the importance of talking with several agents for a few minutes to see if they communicate well. You should get the impression that the agent listens and has established themselves in the industry as an expert. If you're looking for investment properties, you might consider someone with specific additional skills - say a construction background. There are plenty of agents out there who bring unique skills to the business.
Make some calls is my advice.

The best option is to look for an exclusive buyer's agent, an agent who works for a company that declines the option of listing property for sellers so that they can focus on representing home buyers...and so they can avoid the conflicts inherent in the situation where the agent and his/her co-workers are trying to represent both.

Check with the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA) to see if they have a referral in Durango http://(www.NAEBA.com).

This may sound like some Zen koan, but within your question lies a big part of the answer.

When you are talking to different buyer's agents, which you should definitely do, as this process is not like choosing an exterminator (sorry exterminators, I'm sure a bedbug infestation coupled with raccoon nests compounded by a rare breed of Gambian tsetse fly breeding requires careful selection of a professional), anybody who seems upsets by your questions, calls you incessantly after your meeting, or in some ways show signs of passive-aggressiveness/odd behavior clearly is not up for the challenge of dealing with a buyer, a person who will generally experience many emotional ups and downs throughout the buying process and needs a real estate professional who is capable of handling disappointment, anger, nervousness, and all manner of emotions.

You have received spot-on recommendations here for how to locate buyer's agents. But much like the last poster said, don't be fooled by stats and grand advertisements, nor for that matter a new Lexus (a new Ferrari however, is impressive).

While knowledge of the immediate market is imperative, and fundamental to the process, personality ranks a very very close second. You will develop a relationship with your realtor. And it can be a relationship that entails a lot more emotion than your dealings with just about any other professional. If you don't sense a 'natural flow' with your prospective agent, and are unable to comfortably trust this person, then it's essential that you continue your search.

Best of luck.

A good way is to simply go out and meet them - they hold open houses, they sit on floor at real estate offices, and you probably have friends, family, and co-workers who have recently bought homes.

Once you get past the basics - they're full-time agents, they're knowledgeable, they have time for you - then you really have to select on the basis of how well you communicate with each other. Far and away the most common complaint buyers have with their agents comes down to communication!

We don't mind answering questions, and for most questions, there is no "best" answer. For example, there's no evidence that an agent with two years of experience isn't as good as one with twenty. Or that one who sells fifty homes a year is better than one who sells ten.

Don't worry about their egos, be more conscious about evaluating their ids - you're going to be riding around in a car with them for some time, walking through houses together, thinking aloud and asking questions and having some uncertainties . . . you want somebody who is going to be fine with you going through all that.

All the best,

I agree.. referrals are helpful. I am an Accredited Buyers Representative, and an E-Pro. Both these certifications give the Realtor a leg-up on working specifically with Buyers, and their specific needs. It is about focusing on you, as the Buyer. An E-Pro is more internet-savvy, and can utilize the world wide web to best suit you as well. There are numerous seasoned agents in Durango, and you may find you will get referrals that may point you to an agent who is more focused on listings than Buyers. Depending on your desires in an agent, this may not suit you. Interview a few different agents. Each agent will have different qualities and qualifications, but realize, when investing this much thought in buying a home, you need to mesh with the person that will be truly holding your best interest at heart. This is a relationship...there needs to be mutual respect for each other, in order to get the most satisfying outcome for you, and your most important investment in your life

I would suggest asking people that you trust for referrals. You will certainly want to find a competent agent but it is also very important to team up with a Broker that you trust and that you feel like you can work well with. You will be working closely together as a team. You will want to be comfortable with their ethics and business practices as well. I am available for questions or an interview.

That's a tough one - and there's no one good answer. I would interview as many agents as you need until you find a good match. Buying a home may well be one of the biggest investments you ever make so you want to make sure to have good representation and advice. I wouldn't worry too much about upsetting the realtors. If the realtor is not willing to deal with you shopping around it's probably not a good match for you anyway.

Good luck with your search and feel free to come by and interview us at Blue Ribbon Properties! We promise no to get upset if you end up picking someone else! Check out our website for buyer's info and our blog for weekly real estate statistics, recent sales and new listings.

Your first and best resource would be a referral from someone you know and trust that has dealt with that agent before. If you don't know of someone I would look at the real estate offices in your vicinity and check out their websites and their agents. Then choose 3-5 agents and call them to set up interviews and see who you feel would do the best job for you and who you feel comfortable with. If they get upset because you are interviewing then that is obviously someone you don't want to hire. Good luck in your endevors.

Ask for BUYER references, then check them out. See whose situation, needs and personality might best mirror your situation, then see what they liked, or didn't, about their Realtor. Best of luck, hope you find the right one for you, MG

Hey there,

Good question and thanks for asking. Luckily, there are 250 agents in Durango! My partner and I prefer to work as Buyer's agents, advocating for our Buyers. So, the most important thing is to find a Realtor that works full-time (we do) and that works as a Buyers' agent (we do) and one that you feel you can trust and that you think you would enjoy working with. We would love to interview for the job and are easy to reach, Call us at 375-3232 or email us at gallantandhartley@gmail.com. We have 28 years experience in real estate so you'll be in good hands. Thanks again for the question and we hope to hear from you. Cheers, Sebastian and Samantha.

Getting a few referrals from people you trust, would be great and then set up meetings with all of them. I have had clients interview me and let me know that they have other appointments with other agents. It actually helps me to know that my clients are doing their best to get a competent agent to work for them, and the process actually builds trust and shows commitment to me. As for the others that have not been chosen? I've been there too... it just keeps me humble and seeking improvement.

You shouldn't have to worry about upsetting anyone's ego--you've made a major decision to buy and you need to be sure someone's on your side! Get some personal recommendations, check out the local company websites for agent profiles, and set up appointments. If you put the cart before the horse by having an agent show you property prior to establishing a working relationship, you might create a grey area for what is called "procuring cause". A professional Realtor will be happy to sit down with you and interview for the job :)

Durango, obviously referrals from people whom you trust and respect are best. However, I would search signs in the area you want to purchase as well as online, Trulia, and other online websites for the real estate industry, and contact a few and choose the one you believe will have your best interest at hand.

You are correct, it is a big decision for you, and you need to work with the person who most likely understands your goals and has a proven track-record.

Congratulations on your decision to purchase

Rob :-)

The best advice I can give is to ask around, your friends and family are usually great resources of information. Another option is to talk to your lenders, like banks and credit unions and lending institutions. See if they have any recommendations about who they like to work with. The best possible source though is your own gut instinct. If you feel uncomfortable with them, no matter how highly recommended they are, then the relationship can sour from there. Do your research about agents on sites like Trulia, Yelp, and others.

Best of luck to you!

Lynette O'Brien

I would first ask around to friends and family who you trust, and see if they reccomend anyone. If that does not work you can often times pull up local realtors and look at the different websites to get some general information about them. But most important once you meet one you will get a good idea if they are someone that you can work with. Because as you stated it is a big decision and one you want to feel confident about