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What to look for in a buying agent
My husband and I are about to start looking at houses with a hope to purchase in July (when our rent is up), so we are looking for an agent. Last fall when we were trying to decide if the houses we could afford were something we could see ourselves in for 5-10 years, we went to a few a few open houses. At one of them we really hit it off with the selling agent of the house. After explaining what we were doing and that we weren't really looking until summer 2012, he mentioned that he does free classes for first time home buyers to walk them through the process. So in November we met with him and he really taught us a lot and his approach to things really seemed to fit us well. Plus he's a really nice guy and reminds me of my dad. Both my husband and I like him enough that we would like to go with him as our agent. But I also wonder if the responsible thing to do is to talk with other agents to make sure he's our best match. We have friends who just bought houses and really recommend their agents. Part of me thinks we should at least meet with these other two as they are highly recommended rather than just going with the first person we met but the other part of me really likes the agent we've been talking with and doesn't know really if there's much difference between agents when on the buying side.
So my questions are, what does one look for in a buying agent? Should I meet with more than one or go with the one we've clicked with right off the bat and not bother meeting more? If we meet with other agents, what sort of questions do you ask?
Thanks!
Re: What to look for in a buying agent
A good vibe. A REA should ask you many questions about your lifestyle, future plans and wishes/wants. Your realtor should walk you through the shopping/offers/buying process. I would interview and by that I mean meet them and really they should interview you about your requirements. Go with the REA that makes you feel like they understand your (and I hate this word) VISION for your new home.
all of this. i would only add that you should find someone who is nice but professional and assertive enough to be a good negotiator on your behalf once it comes time to offer and negotiate.
meet with the other two. it's free, only takes a few hours of your time, and just meeting w/potential agents really educated us on the process.