Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions of your life. If you think you’re ready to buy a house in 2025, finding a real estate agent with the right experience to guide you through the process will be key.
There’s no shortage of agents vying for your business via online ads, yard signs and even billboards. And with so many professionals to choose from, finding the right one can feel overwhelming. Follow these steps to learn how to choose a real estate agent, so that you hire the perfect pro for your purchase.
1. Get preapproved for a mortgage
What does this have to do with finding the right agent? Well, home shoppers sometimes dive right into their search without talking to a mortgage lender. But it’s smart to meet with a lender first, before you even look for an agent, to learn how much you can afford to spend on a home.
Getting preapproved educates you on the maximum amount you are likely to be able to borrow early in the process. This helps you understand which homes are in the right price range for you, so you don’t waste time looking at listings beyond your means. In addition, it will show both agents and sellers that you’re a qualified buyer. In competitive markets, buyers might need a preapproval letter for sellers to even consider their offer.
2. Ask friends and family for referrals
There are a lot of real estate agents out there. One great way to find a good one is to ask people in your network if they can recommend someone with whom they’ve had a good experience.
Ideally, you want someone who has experience with clients in circumstances similar to yours. The needs of first-time homebuyers, for example, are different from those of repeat buyers or homeowners who are looking to downsize. And a downtown-condo specialist will have a different type of knowledge than an agent whose expertise lies in suburban single-family homes.
Some agents have certifications through the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to show that they’ve completed additional training in a certain area of expertise. Designations homebuyers might look for include:
- CRS (Certified Residential Specialist): Completed additional training in handling residential real estate
- ABR (Accredited Buyer’s Representative): Completed additional training in representing buyers in transactions
- SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist): Completed additional training aimed at helping clients aged 50 and older
- RENE (Real Estate Negotiation Expert): Completed additional training in negotiating skills and advocating for their client
3. Research and interview potential candidates
When you’re considering candidates to see who you’d like to work with, start by examining their online presence: Check their website and social media accounts, noting whether they have closed deals in your specific area. The more familiar an agent is with the area you’re hoping to buy in, the better.
Take a look at their online reviews, as well. And you can vet candidates on your local Better Business Bureau’s website to see if they’ve received any complaints.
An interview is your opportunity to get a sense of an agent’s work style. Look for someone who not only knows your area but also understands your budget and needs.
“See how polished and professional their proposal is,” says Katherine Hutt, president and founder of Nautilus Communications and former chief communications officer with the Better Business Bureau. “The more effort they put into a presentation for you, the more effort they’ll put into presentations when they’re working for you. You want someone who is really savvy.”
Questions to ask include how long they’ve been an agent, whether they work full- or part-time and how many clients they currently have. It’s also a good idea to ask the typical price range and neighborhoods of homes they help their buyers find. If you’re a first-time buyer, inquire about their experience helping others who fall into this category. The same applies to other unique scenarios, like out-of-state relocations.
Interviews also give you a chance to find out the agent’s preferred method of communication and their availability. For example, if you’re most comfortable texting and expect to visit homes after work hours during the week, you’ll want an agent who’s happy to do the same.
Finally, ask the agents you’re interviewing to provide contact information for a few recent clients, so you can check their references. Reach out to those clients to find out their experiences and what type of support the agent provided throughout the process. Ask whether they’d hire that agent again for their next real estate transaction. If the agent was a referral from a friend or acquaintance, you already have a head start on this step.
4. Discuss commissions
This is an important one: Whether they represent the buyer or seller in a transaction, real estate agents earn a commission on the deal. Each agent’s commission typically falls somewhere between 2.5 and 3 percent of the home’s sale price; so, for a $350,000 home, that’s $8,750 to $10,500 for each.
But commission rates are negotiable, and the amount will vary depending on the deal. In addition, new rules have recently taken effect which mean that a home seller is no longer automatically expected to pay their buyer’s agent’s fee as well as their own — meaning you as the buyer might, or might not, be responsible for paying your agent out-of-pocket. Make sure you understand how much an agent will be paid before you agree to work with them, and when you go into contract on a home, be sure the contract clearly spells out who will be paying for which agent.
5. Trust your instinct
Above all, go with an agent you trust and will feel comfortable with if the road to closing gets a little bumpy. If you get a bad vibe from someone during your initial interview, that’s unlikely to change when you start working together.
“It’s like dating — sometimes it just comes down to chemistry,” says Herman Chan, an associate broker and Realtor with Golden Gate Sotheby’s International in Berkeley, California. “If everything checks out, but you just don’t vibe with that person, don’t go with them. There are plenty of other real estate agents out there that will be happy to help you and might be a better personality fit.”
6. Review your contract
Once you select an agent, you’ll need to sign a contract. The contract should spell out all the terms to which you’ve agreed, including the commission rate. Another factor to look at: the contract’s duration. Aim for a contract limited to a time frame of six months or less, if possible. According to NAR data, homes that sold in March 2025 typically remained on the market for just 36 days, so if you haven’t found the home you want within a few months, it’s helpful to keep your options open.
Bottom line
In a challenging housing market like today’s, where low inventory and high prices can restrict your buying options significantly, having a trusted agent by your side really makes a difference. Follow the steps above for how to choose a real estate agent who’s right for you and your specific situation.
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