Finding the Perfect Real Estate Agent

Before you can choose a real estate agent, it helps to be clear about the ideal qualities you want that person to have. Social search engine Qazzoo.com is making that a bit easier this week with the release of a new survey.

Qazzoo.com – which connects real estate professionals with local home buyers and sellers – asked homebuyers, “What type of agent do you prefer working with?” and offered a list of choices. The bottom pick was, (somewhat surprisingly), ‘aggressive negotiator’.

The top qualities sought in an agent included experience and responsiveness – and (less importantly), that the agent be a local resident. Many of the homebuyers surveyed were also looking for an agent with flexible hours.

That last one – flexible hours – is important to experienced homebuyers. While we all want our real estate agent to have a life of his/her own, it can really speed the process of looking at homes if an agent is available during hours when we can get away from other responsibilities, (read: evenings and weekends).

But of course the #1 quality sought in an agent is experience. If you’ve been through the process of buying a home, you know how much of a difference it makes to have an agent who knows that process inside out. Almost any agent can handle a home purchase when everything goes smoothly. When it doesn’t, though, it takes knowledge from experience to save the day.

With winter almost over (we hope), it will soon be prime time for home buying, and home selling. Finding the right agent will be a key ingredient in getting the right deal, on the right house this year.