August 23, 2025 | Inside Real Estate

Whether someone is selling his or her current home or scouring the market for a new one, finding a good agent is the key.

A great agent makes the process of selling or owning a home a smoother process. An agent is not just someone who knows the ins and outs of the housing market. They serve as guides faster and easier home buying or home selling transactions. They also work hard to be sure you’re happy.

But with so many agents in a local market, how does one find someone who can be trusted to do a great job of helping sell or acquire a new home?

Here are four tips to help in the search.

1. Identify specific buying and selling requirements.

Determine if what’s needed is a buyer’s agent or a seller’s agent. There’s a difference between the two. Depending on whether the aim is selling a home or buying one, one agent is better for a specific purpose than the other.

Ask for a buyer’s agent if the aim is to buy a home. Conversely, ask for a seller’s agent if the aim is to sell. This ensures that the agent will work according to what’s best for the hirer’s interests.

Note also that there are differences between real estate agent, real estate realtor, and real estate broker. It’s important to know the differences in jargon while transacting in the market.

A real estate agent possesses a real estate license from the state where he or she works. Meanwhile, a Realtor is associated with the National Association of Realtors® and therefore has the business rights to use the REALTOR name and logo. Last but not least is the real estate broker, who possesses the most training in the field, especially with regards to real estate law and ethics. A broker also possesses the license to arrange buying and selling transactions of properties.

2. Ask from referrals from friends and acquaintances.

This is the time to utilize that extensive network of friends and acquaintances, be they from the offline or online world of social networking.

Since trust is an important part of the buying and selling experience, getting a well-trusted and reputable agent serves one’s best interests. This is especially useful if planning to live in a new city or town.

Get in touch with friends and acquaintances and ask them about their experiences with agents. Since they are friends, they will give an honest rundown of their experiences.

3. Do some legwork – Personally watch agents in action.

The adage that goes “Seeing is believing” holds true in this case. Seeing and watching agents while they are on the job gives a firm idea on what the market entails and what kind of steps the purchasing process has.

It is best to take a drive along areas where open houses are being held. Mingle for a little while, observe, and interact with agents, as well as buyers or sellers alike. Get a feel of the market and what a potential agent’s work style is.

4. Go ahead and ask potential agent some questions.

This is the time when it pays to be proactive in asking the questions one has always wanted to ask an agent.

Once your choices have been narrowed down to two or three potential agents, arrange informal interviews with them. Get to know them better and determine which one among them is the best.

Determining the best fit carefully ensures that the agent is compatible with the hirer’s needs and interests. Making sure that the hirer is comfortable with the agent’s work practice and style is also important.

Some possible areas of concern are the length of time they’ve been working in the market, the number of home sales they transact successfully in a year, whether they’re representing the hirer or the seller, and whether they’re willing to provide references.

If ready to buy or sell a home, these simple tips will help you find a real estate agent that is the right fit for you and your needs.

According to RealtyTrac, a housing data and analytics company, U.S. homeownership rates are still at their lowest level in 20 years. Combine this fact with relatively low home prices in many parts of the nation, and investors will find numerous opportunities to profit while buying and renting single-family properties. You might even be thinking about joining them and becoming a landlord yourself. However, consider these must-dos before you make the leap.

1. Research your rental rate carefully.

Unless you bought the property with cash, you probably have a mortgage payment. However, you shouldn’t just set the rent at that amount. You’ll need to factor in homeowners association fees, property taxes and the cost of upkeep as well. Then take a look at what similar properties are renting for in your area. If you want to find a tenant, your asking rent must be comparable.

2. Write a comprehensive lease.

Constructing a good lease takes time, so put one together before you start advertising for tenants. While you can find hundreds of templates online, you’ll need to make sure that your final document complies with the laws in your city, county and state. Details required within the lease include the term, security and pet deposit, due date for rent, penalties for late payment, pet and visitor policies, routine upkeep and maintenance responsibilities, rules of behavior, rental renewal and property damage terms, inspection and showing policies, and actions that can lead to eviction.

3. Thoroughly evaluate rental applicants.

There are many ways to find potential tenants, from on-site “For Rent” signs to free Craigslist ads and paid listings on real estate rental websites. While you may want to get someone into the property quickly—you can’t start making money until someone is paying rent, after all—don’t cut corners when evaluating your applicants. You should require everyone to fill out a rental application that includes his or her current employer, monthly/annual income, and previous landlords and references.

You’ll need written permission to run a background check including criminal history and credit report. Many pros suggest using a vendor for this portion of the screening process, and you’ll find many—at various prices—online. You can verify employment and speak with previous landlords on your own or outsource that as well.

4. Take care of insurance.

Talk to your insurance agent about rental property insurance. In addition to covering the structure itself, rental property insurance policies cover personal liability and medical expenses as well as loss of rental income in the event of a property-damaging event. If you plan to leave personal belongs in the property (say, you’re renting it out furnished or storing things in the basement), you’ll need additional coverage.

You should encourage your tenants to purchase renters insurance of their own as well. Your insurance policies do not cover their belongings, and renters are less likely to file lawsuits against landlords in the event of break-ins, fires and other disasters if they have their own insurance to fall back on.

5. Determine how you will handle property management.

Prepping a property for rental, screening tenants, collecting rent and dealing with lease violations can be frustrating and time consuming. If you’re not comfortable tackling these tasks yourself, you might want to consider hiring a management company. You’ll have to pay fees for their service (such as one month’s rent for filling the vacancy and a percentage of the monthly rent for ongoing management), but your time just might be worth it.

Whether you think becoming a landlord is the right choice for you or have decided you’d prefer to sell your home outright, we’re here to help. Give us a call or send us an email any time to discuss your situation.

Month: March 2015

How to Find the Best Real Estate Agent