How to Select a Buyer's Broker for Your Next Real Estate Purchase

Selecting an agent to help sell your home is a topic that
gets a lot of attention on real estate websites and in
trade publications. But as buyer's brokers become more
popular, the need for information on choosing the right one
is increasing. Luckily, the key to selecting a buyer's
broker for your particular needs is a very simple prospect.

Abraham Lincoln once said that if he had six hours to cut
down a tree, he'd spend the first four sharpening the saw.
He understood that preparation is the key to achieving
results as fast as possible. It's the same with finding the
right property to buy, and the right agent to help you
through the buying process.

First, know thyself. Before you can accurately evaluate a
buyer's broker, you have to know what kind of property you
want to buy, where you want to buy and why, your budget,
and your desired timeframe. If you don't have a clear
picture of what you want, it'll be hard for you to
determine whether a particular buyer's agent can do right
by you.

Second, start collecting word-of-mouth testimonials.
Because real estate agents typically work within a certain
geographical area, reputation is everything. Ask friends,
family, and neighbors for their recommendations. You'll
probably hear about a few great agents, a few bad apples,
and many more "just okay" comments.

Third, check out the "greats" and the "okays" with the
local or state real estate commission. Though it may seem
like a hassle to contact a government agency for
information, it's much better than finding out later that
there've been dozens of complaints filed against a certain
agent or agency.

Fourth, pick four or five agents to interview. Think of it
like a business. You'd interview anyone who applied to work
for your company. Why wouldn't you interview a buyer's
agent, who's also going to work for you? Ask them about the
types of homes they help buy and sell, the types of clients
they have, and how they'd guide you through the home-buying
process if you chose to work with them.

Finally, select an agent and get a buyer's agreement in
place. Be clear on how long the buyer's agent will
represent you, the conditions of the agent's commission,
cancellation clauses, and what happens if you want to work
with multiple agents or decide to buy a house that's for
sale by owner.

Put these pieces in place before you start shopping for a
home. The process is bound be much smoother, and much more
satisfying, when you take the time to plan ahead.

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Alpine Lakes Real Estate has been building long-term
relationships in the White Mountains region for more than
20 years. Their extensive real estate expertise is enhanced
by their vast knowledge of the entire building process.
With offices in Lincoln and Campton, NH, they also offer
assistance with IRS 1031 "like-kind" exchanges, and the
Design-Build services of their in-house architect. For more
information, go to http://www.AlpineLakes.com .