ABA Family Legal Guide

Buying and Selling a Home

Meeting the Players

Selecting a Real Estate Agent to Help You Buy a Home

How does a buyer choose a real estate agent?

In selecting an agent, a buyer needs to consider many of the same factors as a seller. Usually, a buyer's agent is compensated out of the sale proceeds; however, it is also possible that the buyer will pay a separate fee to the agent. In interviewing the agent, the buyer should ask the agent for the names of recent buyers who used his or her services and talk to them. You should ask

• how much time the agent spent with the buyer,
• how helpful he or she was during negotiations, and
• whether each buyer was satisfied with the services the agent provided.

Also make sure that the agent has a good record of locating the types of homes specified by prospective buyers. For example, an agent who customarily has clients seeking $500,000 homes may not spend much time working for a client seeking a $100,000 home.

Most important, before you start working with an agent, try to make decisions about the type of home you want, the amount you are willing to pay, and all the other important aspects of home buying. Shop open houses to get a feel for various neighborhoods and the style and price range of homes you are seeking. The more specific you can be with the agent in terms of what you want, the more likely it will be that the agent will find that kind of property.