You are putting together your team of experts to help you thru this home buying process. Remember, they all need to work well together.
Now that you have been educated by your mortgage person/bank person, you will need to shop for a Realtor.
Finding a Realtor
Search Online: There are several ways to choose who will represent you in your transaction. Many people go online and look at Realtor profiles. Websites won’t tell you a whole lot about an agent unless they have blogged enough so that you feel you know them.
Ask People You Know: You may want to ask neighbors, friends, or family who they used and how they felt about that person. You may like how they handled your friend’s transaction, or you may have different preferences than your friends/family.
Interview The Agents: Put a list together of agents that may work out for you. Once you have the list, give each of them a call and ask them some questions. Ask them for references (past customers).
What you are trying to figure out by doing this is whether you feel like you can trust them, that they know what they are talking about and that they know when they don’t know something and you need advise from a professional in another field (like an accountant or attorney).
It is okay to ask them how they operate. How do they handle new buyers? How do they communicate with customers?
Have Face-to-Face: After you have weeded thru your list, you may have picked just one, or you may have a few still on the list. Pick a home to view and ask them to show it to you. See if you like how they are in person. Remember, you are the one in charge. You are hiring them. You are the boss in this transaction, and they are there to assist you with their professional knowledge.
Make a Commitment: Hopefully there will be one Realtor from your first batch of searching that impresses you and you can start your home search! Tell them that you want them to be your real estate agent so they know they can start spending their time helping you find a home.
Start Looking at Homes!
Now that you have chosen your Realtor, you are well on your way to getting into your home sweet home. Congratulations!