Of all the decisions Home Buyers and Home Sellers need to make, choosing a REALTOR® is by far the most important. Hiring the wrong person can make an already stressful experience even worse. Hiring the right person can make your transaction smooth and problem-free.

Given the importance of selecting the right REALTOR®, why do some consumers make a poor choice? Generally buyers and sellers interview too few candidates, ask too few questions, or allow their emotions to interfere with rational decision-making. But more to the point, most people just don’t know how to hire a REALTOR®, and make one or more of these mistakes early on in the process.

Buyers: The biggest mistake that Buyers usually make is to start shopping for a home before they select a REALTOR®. Rather than interviewing candidates and making an informed choice, they drive off with whoever happens to be holding an open house in their preferred neighborhood. Or they pick a REALTOR® whose name is on a for-sale sign. Or they call a brokerage company to inquire about an advertised home. And some take the first name that is mentioned or referred to them, without further comparison or investigation. So, selecting a Realtor becomes a matter of chance and luck.

Many of these ways (mentioned above) of finding a Realtor® may not work out very well for you. You see, top agents rarely hold open houses, nor do they sit around the office answering cold telephone calls. Also, some excellent Buyer’s Agents do not work with Sellers and represent (list) homes for sale. Productive agents are busy with repeat and referral business from former clients and personal marketing efforts.

Sellers: Buyers can make similar mistakes. Some select a REALTOR® because he or she sold a few other homes in the neighborhood or pays someone to send out a monthly newsletter for them. While these "neighborhood names" may be worth considering, sales and newsletters shouldn't be the sole factors in the decision.

Another common mistake among sellers is to hire a REALTOR® because he or she states a high opinion of their home's value. Some agents suggest an inflated price to flatter the seller and capture the listing, only to argue for a price reduction after a few weeks. Other agents suggest a low price so they can sell the home quickly or attract multiple offers. Rather than being a factor in selecting an agent, pricing decisions should be made in consultation with the agent, based on market trends, recent sales of comparable homes and how soon you want to move.

The right way to hire a REALTOR® is to know your own needs and find someone who will meet those needs. Talk to several candidates and take notes. Start by getting some background information about the agent. Consider checking their Personal Website – for informational content, research links and personal ‘flavor’. Also check out their Personal Brochure. What do both have to offer you? What do they have to say about what makes them the best match for you? A list of suggested qualifying questions is also available upon request by e-mail.

Then find out whether the Realtor® is experienced with the market segment(s) that fit for you, whether new construction, architecturally rich older homes, suburban developments, acreage properties, urban ‘lofts’, condominiums, high-end homes or affordable homes. The best agents usually have the expertise and interest to serve all of these needs and market segments. It not, they will be honest enough to let you know and refer you to a specialist in that area.

Finally, interview a few candidates and ask for and call the agent's references to see how pleased they were with the service they received. Evaluate what distinguishing benefits the candidates have to offer you, how they present themselves, and if you think they will work diligently and professionally to accomplish your goals. Last, make sure that you are comfortable, can communicate well with them, and can trust them with your business. These are ‘must haves’ that require a good two-way chemistry between you and your Realtor®.