by David Glenn

Buying a new home is one of the most significant personal decisions that you will ever have to make. Since it can be such a big decision, it would be a good idea to work with a realtor, who can help you to find a great home and to negotiate a fair sale price. While having a realtor is important, it is far more important to find a realtor that has your best interests in mind, as opposed to their best interests in mind. When working with a realtor, there are several things that you should be able to identify that would show whether or not they have your best interests in mind.

Spend Time to Understand What You are Looking For

One of the most important characteristics of a realtor that has your best interests in mind is that they will spend the time to understand what you are looking for in a home. The realtor should be spending a at least an hour with you to discuss your budget, why you are moving, what you are looking for in a new home, and what you want in a local community or neighborhood. All of this information will then allow the realtor to find the properties that meet your specifications. It will also ensure that they are looking for homes that work for you, as opposed to trying to sell you a home that may provide them with a higher commission.

Patience

Another characteristic of a realtor that has your best interests in mind is that they will have a lot of patience. Buying a home is a very big decision, and it is very common that you will go back and forth as to whether you want to buy a home and which home you ultimately choose. If the realtor seems overly persistent and evenly annoyed that you are moving slowly through the process, it could be a big sign that they are only concerned about their commissions. Instead, you should look for a realtor that will allow you to take your time to think about each home that you want to buy.

Consultation

The third service that a quality realtor will be able to provide you with is consultation. One of the biggest concerns of buying home is that you are buying a property that is over-priced. The realtor will be able to provide you with detailed market analysis based on recent sales and active listings, which will help you to determine if the price of the home is fair, or if it is priced too high.

Provide You with Referral Sources

When you are looking to buy a home, you will also need to hire other people as well to help with the purchase. One of the most important services that you will need to hire is a home inspector. Most people will not have an inspector that they have used before. As opposed to making you look through the classified, the realtor will be able to refer you to a home inspector that they have worked with in the past and that does a good job. Having a quality home inspector go through the home will ensure that you are aware of any mechanical or structural problems with the home before you close.

Warranty Protection

Another item that can prove whether or not that they have your best interests in mind is if they work to provide you with a home warranty. A warranty for your home is a very important feature that could be negotiated in a sale. The warranty will normally provide the buyer with assurance that all of the appliances, mechanicals, and other features of the home will work properly for a period of time. If the realtor is on top of everything and wants to get you the best deal, they will work to get you a warranty of somewhere between one and three years.