Finding the right buyer's agent

You'll be happy to know that locating a professional buyer's agent is easier than you might think.

Rather than sifting through hundreds or thousands of websites or asking dozens of friends who may not be local real estate experts anyway, there's a much easier way. Licensed Realtors who are specialists in representing today's home buyers will generally hold a special designation earned through specialized training -- the Accredited Buyer's Representative or ABR. These are Realtors who are specifically trained and by, and who are members of, the Real Estate Buyer Agent Council -- or REBAC.

Choose your preferred area or neighborhood

You'll be much more effective in the search for your buyer's agent if you'll first decide just where it is that you'd like to live. You'd think this part would be common sense, but one agent won't be able to do much for you if you can't narrow down the area you'd most like live in. One or two cities will do. In our own area, we commonly operate in many different locales including San Marcos, New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, Wimberley, Kyle, Buda, Dripping Springs, and Austin, Texas.

Finding a buyer's agent

To find an Accredited Buyer's Representative, simply visit the REBAC website, click on "Find a Buyer's Rep" and input the locale you're contemplating moving to. The site will then list all Accredited Buyer's Representatives who are currently operating in your target area.

Choose an agent with a website

In my own experience, it's my preference to choose a Realtor who works with a nationally recognized franchise, who has their own website, and who has an email address that's reflected in the website. For example, if a Realtor has a website such as www.beckybuyersagent.com then her email should look like xxxxxxx@beckybuyersagent.com. This tells me that the person is intelligent and motivated enough to have their own website, they're serious about this business, and the look and feel of the agent's website often will tell you more information than you care to know about how professional they may or may not be.

Real estate agents on the web

Since you're a potential home buyer, you'll want to select an agent who offers the MLS at your fingertips so that you'll have access to all homes listed in the area you're contemplating moving to. The whole point of selecting someone with a website is to use it for your benefit, so the most important part of that site will be an online offering of ALL homes in the area -- not just theirs.

These are just some of the basics

This is a great place to begin. From this point, you'll want to select a handful of agents, interview them and ask appropriate questions about the local real estate market, and talk to some of their previous clients. Personal visits are also recommended, but in some cases, a phone call will have to do. Either way, you should feel comfortable with your agent and the way he/she operates in your presence.

FROM THE FRONT LINES

Choosing the right buyer's agent should be one of your top priorities when considering the purchase of a new home.

In real life, the typical home buyer goes about the purchasing process somewhat in reverse, choosing the home, then the mortgage company, then the Realtor.

It's the Realtor's job to find the buyer, then arrange financing with the mortgage company who'll do the best job, then find the home -- that way, you'll have the most leverage throughout the purchasing process while ensuring your preparedness and future success.

If you'd like assistance locating a top-notch buyer's agent, please call me at (512) 665-1745 and I will assist you in locating a proven professional in your area of choice.