Step 1 to Buying a Home: Hire a REALTOR®

There's a reason that websites such as Realtor.com, Zillow or Trulia are popular with consumers, especially (but not limited to) people who are actively considering buying a home. They are easy to navigate and provide a lot of information (some accurate, some not so much!). We certainly understand, but your first step in buying a home should be to hire a REALTOR® to represent and assist you.

Searching online at Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, or other similar sites on your own can take A LOT of time. A REALTOR® can set up an automatic search for you via the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). This means that your unique home search criteria are automatically searched each day (or however often you want to receive the search results), and you’ll be emailed a list of all new properties matching your criteria or properties that have had a price reduction, which now put those homes into your price range. This can be mean a drastic increase in your search efficiency and time-saving!  And in a market like Atlanta, where great properties may sell in a matter of days -- or even faster! -- it can be an enormous advantage to be able to get in and to view a property within a day or two of it going on the market.

So, how do you find and pick a REALTOR®?

Our hope is that you will contact our team at 404.994.2181 or Ben(at)BuySellLiveAtlanta(dot)com. We would love to meet in person to see if we would be a good fit to work together. Remember, just as every property is not right for every buyer, not all REALTORS® are right for all people -- there is no "one size fits all" in real estate! We want to know that we'll enjoy working with you, and that you'll enjoy working with us. You need to find someone who is not only great at their job, but someone you like, as you’re going to be spending a lot of time with that person, and more importantly, someone you feel you can trust.

To that end, we want to meet you! Whether via a phone conversation, video conference, or an in-person meeting for a cup of coffee and a chat -- we want to see if we click! If we do, then you need to then determine if we have the experience, customer service sensibility, and understanding of the market that you’re looking for.

A few things to look out for:

First, notice how quickly the REALTOR® responds to your initial phone call or email. If the REALTOR® doesn’t get back to you within the first 24 hours, that’s a bad sign. This business moves quickly and deals can be lost if your REALTOR® doesn’t respond quickly on your behalf during negotiations.

Second, you'll want to interview the REALTOR® by asking them very specific questions. We like it when our potential clients ask us about our business and our experience -- we're proud of the work that we do, we're passionate about it, and we're thrilled to have the chance to demonstrate that passion to new clients. 

• Click here to read our recommended interview questions
• Then click here to read our responses to those interview questions

Finally, expect to sign an Exclusive Buyer Brokerage Agreement. Legally, before you disclose confidential information to your REALTOR®, you should have a signed buyer representation agreement. In Georgia, a real estate agent cannot advise you as a client without a signed buyer representation agreement. Think of it this way: if you were selling your home, you wouldn't allow an agent to put their sign in your yard, price your home, and market it in the MLS without a signed agreement; similarly, you shouldn't work with a real estate to purchase a house without a written agreement, either. The agreement will outline the terms of your agreement and helps to insure that your REALTOR® will keep private information confidential. Click here to view a sample of the Georgia REALTORS® Buyer Brokerage Engagement Agreement.

Click here to read a blog post on why it's a good idea for you to sign the Buyer Brokerage Agreement when you hire a REALTOR®.

If you have any questions, please let us know!