Qualifications are important. However, finding a solid, professional agent means getting beyond the resume, and into what makes an agent effective. Use the following questions as your starting point in hiring your licensed, professional real estate agent:

1. Why did you become a real estate agent?

2. Why should I work with you?

3. What do you do better than other real estate agents?

4. What process will you use to help me find the right home for my particular wants and needs?

5. What are the most common things that go wrong in a transaction and how would you handle them?

6. What are some mistakes that you think people make when buying their first home?

7. What other professionals do you suggest we work with and what are their credentials?

8. Can you provide me with references or testimonials from past clients?