5 tips for finding a good real estate agent/REALTOR®

The home selling or home buying process is an exciting journey and every journey needs a savvy, considerate guide who will help you find exactly what you’re looking for. 

Before you begin, you need a great real estate agent. That’s why we and our Southern California real estate agents are here to give you the best tips for finding your agent.

Keep in mind that finding the right real estate agent for your home-buying or home-selling goals can be the key to finding your future home or solidifying your financial future. While some guides will show you how to find a good real estate agent, ours will help you find the perfect agent.

#1 Know the difference between a real estate agent vs. a REALTOR®

Should you be finding a good REALTOR®? Or looking for a real estate agent? Sometimes the terms are used interchangeably, but there’s a difference between a REALTOR® and a real estate agent:

• Real estate agent – A real estate agent is someone who has taken and passed state education courses in real estate, housing laws, and ethics. They then applied for and passed the state’s licensing exam. 

Only then can an individual apply for a real estate license. Depending on the state, real estate agents may have additional certifications to acquire through coursework and exams.

• REALTOR® – REALTOR® is a trademarked term that can mean a real estate agent, a broker-associate, a managing broker, an exclusive buyer’s agent, and more. 

The one unifying characteristic of all of these professionals? Membership to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR®).

A REALTOR® must have all of the education, licenses, and certification of a real estate agent. They must also pass a course on the NAR Code of Ethics every four years and pay membership dues. The NAR Code of Ethics is a guideline that restates the legal and ethical requirements of all real estate agents.

That means, whether you work with a REALTOR® or a real estate agent, they’re both held to the same professional standards by law.

Both REALTORS® and real estate agents have the same level of education, licenses, and a commitment to ethical buying and selling practices. But whether you choose a REALTOR® or a real estate agent is really up to you. 

However, the most important deciding factors shouldn’t be the title on a business card, but their professionalism, expertise, and personality. 

#2 Craft your dream agent wish list

If you’re thinking about buying a house, you probably have an idea of what you want it to look like—maybe it has three big bedrooms, a modern kitchen, and is located in your favorite neighborhood. 

Take the same approach when finding an agent. Ask yourself about the kind of person you want to work with. Consider things like:

• Negotiation skills – When it comes down to making a deal, negotiation skills are crucial to your ideal agent. You need someone who can make deals smoothly while still fighting for you and negotiating the asking price.
  
• Personality – Think about the personality traits you work best with. The right agent is both friendly and approachable while still being professional and ambitious
• Expertise – Determine the kind of experience you want your dream agent to have. An agent who knows all of the up-and-coming modern homes in an urban area might not be the right fit if you’re looking to buy a remodeled historic home in a small town. Additionally, you want to ensure that they’ll be able to walk you through all of the costs of buying a home, even the less obvious ones. An experienced agent will be completely transparent and work in your best interests.
  
• Ask a friend – If you’ve never bought or sold a home before, call your friends who have and ask them about their experiences with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties real estate agents. Your friends will give you the full rundown of their unique home-buying or home-selling journeys to better prepare you for yours.

#3 Use the right tools 

Now that you have an idea about the kind of agent you want to work with, it’s time to start looking. Make a list of real estate agents you want to interview, and start looking in these places:

• Attend open houses (or a virtual home tour!) – Spend your days off perusing open houses in neighborhoods you like, not just for the houses, but for the agents. You’ll find agents who already know the area and the current market. Plus, you can speak with the agent casually and get to know them a bit without the formality of an interview.

During times of social distance, we have virtual tours available on bhhscalifornia.com or, reach out to any one of our agents for a private virtual tour!

• Check online – Using online resources to find an agent achieves two things:
  

1. You’ll be able to find key information about an agent’s experience and knowledge areas.
2. You’ll find more tech-savvy agents—agents with cohesive online profiles will more likely have a sound knowledge of the digital aspects of house-hunting or selling.
   

• Call your friends – One of the most common ways people find real estate agents is through referrals. Send out a mass text to your home-owning (or home-selling) friends to see who they recommend. 

#4 Interview multiple agents

Interviewing multiple agents is a fantastic way to get to know your potential home-buying or home-selling agent. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you interview agents: 

• References – Ask for a list of recent references. Once you have their contact information, reach out and ask to schedule a quick call. A few strategic questions can reveal a lot about the reference’s experience with the agent:
  

> When did you work with this agent? 

> What did you like about their approach to house-hunting/buyer-finding?

> What didn’t you like about their approach to house-hunting/buyer-finding?

> Would you work with this particular agent again?

• Ask about their plan – Talk to the real estate agent about their plan of action when it comes to finding a house or a homebuyer. Pay particular attention to the technology they use. More and more of the housing market is taking place online. Your agent’s tech-savviness will be a huge factor in how many prospective buyers (and sellers) you’ll have access to.
• Pay attention to their reactions – You want an agent who is cool under pressure. And, since most agents make their living off of commissions, an interview is definitely a high-pressure environment. 

Ask hard questions and see how your agent responds. If they handle your difficult questions with poise and give you informative answers, they may be a great fit.

• Listening skills – A good agent is someone who understands what you’re looking for and takes your goals to heart. Tell your agent about your dream home or your dream home buyer, go into as much detail as you want. 

Then, pay attention to how they listen. Are they taking notes? Are they cutting you off? Do they bring back your wish list specifics later in the conversation? How someone listens will showcase their interest in being your true partner. 

• Communication style – Your agent’s communication style can either be a blessing, or a hindrance. If you’re someone that prefers texting over phone calls, see if your agent feels the same. If your communication styles line up, or if they are willing to adjust to your specific needs, it’ll be smooth sailing for your home-buying or home-selling journey. 
• A list of recent sales – A list of recent sales will tell you about the experience of the agent, their negotiation abilities, and their expertise.
  

For home sellers – This information is particularly important for individuals looking to sell their homes, because it will show you their experience level in your market and with homes similar to yours. 

For home buyers – Pay attention to where these recent sales were. It will show how familiar your agent is with the areas you like.

• Gut feeling – Notice how the potential agent makes you feel as you talk with them. After all, you will be working closely with your real estate agent for potentially months to come. You want to feel comfortable, relaxed, and assured of their commitment. Listen to your gut.

#5 Be honest

Honesty is required on both sides for a successful agent/buyer or agent/seller relationship. You want to be as honest as possible with the potential agent about your wants, needs, and budget. 

You have to feel comfortable saying “No, not this one” over and over again, and trust that your agent will say, “Then I’ll find you another one you’ll love” as many times as it takes.

If you feel you can’t be straightforward with an agent, then your house-buying or selling journey will be a rocky one. Honesty—in life and in the real estate market—is always the best policy.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, the perfect agent 

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make. The same goes for selling a home. From the start of your journey to the day you move in, the right agent makes all the difference.

At Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, we know that a good real estate agent doesn’t just find you a home or a seller—they help you start a new chapter in your life. 

Each one of our 3,000 real estate agents across Southern California is committed to helping you find your perfect home or seller. With 60+ office locations throughout Southern California, we are ready to help you achieve your real estate dreams. We’ll give you our expert advice on selling or buying a house in Southern California.

Get in contact with our Southern California Realtors® and find your perfect agent today at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties!