Who to choose for a home (agent, commission, sales, agreement)

[FMC2012]

Real estate agent, realtor, real estate broker and other similar titles, do they all mean the same or are there differences? When looking to purchase a home, just go with any of the above?

Aside from advice like finding someone that works the area you want to buy in, someone with some years of experience, any other suggestions in finding someone for a house purchase?

[ReadyFreddy]

I would say they're about the same, though people in the field might disagree. The term Realtor is reserved for real estate agents who join the Natl. Assoc. of Realtors, I believe. A broker is a step above an agent and all agents work with a broker, I think.

My advice would be ignore the titles and find an agent you click with, who provides the type of service you like, as in responsive, professional, knowledgeable, etc.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by FMC2012

Real estate agent, realtor, real estate broker and other similar titles, do they all mean the same or are there differences? When looking to purchase a home, just go with any of the above?

Aside from advice like finding someone that works the area you want to buy in, someone with some years of experience, any other suggestions in finding someone for a house purchase?

Real Estate Agent refers to anyone that has a real estate license.

REALTOR® refers to someone that is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®.

Real Estate Broker can have different meanings depending on the state. Some states have real estate associate/salesperson licenses. The Real Estate Broker is generally their supervisor. In some states all real estate licensees are real estate brokers and their superviser is called a Principal Broker.

I still think one of the best ways to find a good buyer agent is to find a good listing agent. Look at listing photos online. Agents that take the time to have good photos of their listings actually care about their clients and doing a good job, generally speaking. If an agent has crooked photos, dark and blurry ones, that is someone that doesn't have a good work ethic or care enough about their clients to do a good job for them. Agents with a lot of listings typically don't act as buyer agents as well, but if you can find an agent with 5-15 listings that look good (even the less expensive ones), chances are you have a good agent on your hands. I'd start interviewing those agents. Interview at least three of them and see which one seems like the best fit for you.

[tom230]

If you are in NY there are some things to be aware of if you use a buyer's agent. Any agent can be a buyer's agent; it depends on their representation in that particular deal. You should use a buyer's agent because they are working for you and are there to protect your interests. Make sure that the agent takes what the seller is offering as his whole commission; some will want you to make up the difference and will try to get you to sign an agreement saying so. Secondly, I recommend not signing a buyer's exclusive agreement. It locks you into one realtor for a period of time so that even if the realtor is doing a bad job for you, you're stuck with them. You are guaranteed with a broker a certain amount of experience, with an agent you have to ask a few more questions. I think more important that agent or brokers are the person’s certifications. For a buyer's agent you would like to see an ABR (Accredited Buyer's Representative) after their name or a CBR (Certified Buyer Representative) either of those means that they took the time for additional education to provide better service to buyers.

[hueyeats]

Go by agent reviews... the more 5 star the better.