How to interview buyer agents

When you're interviewing buyer agents, we recommend asking open-ended questions and then letting each agent talk.

For example, you might try asking open-ended questions like these:

• What advice do you have for me as a home buyer?
• What will you do to help me find and buy the right home?
• Can you tell me a little bit about your customer service philosophy? 
• What's going on in the market right now? 
• And what is the market like for the type of home that I'm seeking to buy? 

When each realtor responds to your questions, are they trying to sell you, or help you? Do they launch into sales mode and ask you to sign a buyer agency agreement? Or do they ask you questions of their own in order to learn more about your needs and how they can best serve you? 

In the end you will need to follow your heart and choose the agent who you believe will offer you the best working relationship. In your heart of hearts, do you trust the agent that you're choosing to partner with? Buying a home is one of the most significant events in your life, so we encourage you to ask all of the right questions and take all of the time you need to get this right.