In my opinion, the client should select candidates from referrals, realtors that you met during open houses and realtors that have websites and show a lot of interest in marketing (this applies usually to sellers that would like to have their house sold fast and at a good price).
Always remember that the realtor’s commission is paid by the seller, so it is important that they have the patience to work with you rather than just try to make a quick purchase for you while spending the least amount of time. Below there are some good questions that you can incorporate into your interview and based on them, you can make a decision on hiring the real estate agent.
Ask them the following questions:
How long have they been in business?
In what area do they do most of their transactions?
What type of properties do they specialize in?
Will they preview the houses before sending you there?
How will they send you listings as they come out (email, phone, fax, etc.)?
How long do their clients usually take to complete a purchase?
What happens if you are unhappy? Do they make you sign an exclusivity agreement or can you change agents any time you want?
Will they give you guidance in helping you
What kind of market is it currently?
If it’s a hot housing market, how will they help you achieve a leg up when a house has competitive bids?
If it’s a cold housing market, how will they help you achieve a rock bottom price?
In some areas, if it’s a hot housing market, some sellers will offer less than the standard 3% commissions to the buying agent. Will they still show you such properties
Make sure they don’t dodge your questions and that you like their style of communicating. You will spend a lot of time with them, so it has to be a good match.
Good luck
Excellent advice. I would be interested in your suggestions for interviewing a realtor from the seller’s perspective as well.
Thank you for the advice. I’m in the process of finding a realtor so this definitely helps.